In an Ever Changing World
by Saika
Summary: Sawada Shin returns to Japan to decide what to do with his life. I promise everyone I will finish this story, it will just take a little while because of school.
1. To Dream

Just like my Hana-Kimi story, this is based of the Drama since I haven't read the manga. All characters belong to Kozueko Morimoto and of course, I make no claims to them.

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The train pulled slowly into the station. The morning air was cool on this platform. Anything was cooler than where Sawada had been. His skin was dark from the sun, and his backpack had patches everywhere, attempting to keep his only testament of home together. The platform was mostly empty, and the air was moist. There was a different kind of mug here, more pollution than sand; although both could be said about Cairo.

In four years he had learned 4 new languages, but hadn't spoken his native tongue since he left. He still thought in Japanese, and that was enough. But he didn't feel very Japanese anymore. His eyes still resembled his brethren, but his skin, hair, and physique were more like those that he had lived with for the past few years.

Was this really home? A cool breeze woke him up from the daze and jetlag. His watch read 6:10 AM for Japan but that meant something closer to 9:10 PM the day before. Of course he was running on a 35 hour sleep deficit. Nothing he hadn't dealt with before, but that didn't make it pleasant. He stretched a bit and stuck his hands in his jeans, waiting for the next train to take him into his old neighborhood. His parents knew he was coming back, and even though his mother was excited to see him, he had arranged to bounce between Kuma and Uchi's until he could figure out his next moves.

Returning to Japan had so many conflicting emotions. He had been challenged in so many ways while he was away, challenged in ways that didn't involve books. School had never been a challenge, that's why he didn't pick college despite the prestigious schools his entrance exams had earned him. Sawada leaned against a concrete pillar, setting his backpack on the ground. Was this a step forward or two steps back?

The bullet train passed by heading for downtown Tokyo, and he knew the train for his old neighborhood would arrive shortly. If it was two steps back, they were leaps in the wrong direction. A contract in Western Sahara had come to him just before he found the cheapest ticket he had ever seen to Cairo and then on to Japan. And so he found himself on a plane from Dakar airport Senegal to Narita airport Japan.

He puffed a breath of air out, attempting to wake himself a little bit. A few more people were emerging from the wings, waiting for the same train. They paid him no attention, in the same way the Japanese acknowledge their southeastern Asian counterparts. He enjoyed the birth they gave him, remembering the days in high school. Japan had not changed much at all.

The train was entirely empty when it arrived, and this was of particular surprise to Sawada. A train in Tokyo always had people in it, no matter how early or late. This must be the first stop now. Japan had changed, even if it wasn't much. He occupied a seat by his preferred exit, and waited for the train to leave the station.

The countryside that flew by was what he remembered. Buildings everywhere, and a few green patches, but not many; dotted with lights that weren't quite glowing yet. The train stopped at each station, picking up more passengers and releasing a few. An older woman stepped onto the train, and looked solemnly around, finding no seat. Sawada stood up, and said please to the woman, who awkwardly smiled at him and occupied the spot. Shin wasn't sure if the high schooler would have done that. Japan itself hadn't changed much, but he had.

His station arrived, and he exited with the rush trying to get in and out. The bustle of morning Tokyo burst into his ears, a sound he had forgotten in his travels. Nothing was quite as loud as Tokyo, a constant drone of voices and movement, all around him. Almost a comfort. He set off on foot down the streets.

A bit of construction had changed his neighborhood, a few old buildings gone, a street rerouted, but almost everything looked familiar. He followed the alley he used to walk with Kuma to the ramen restaurant. It was loud inside, Kuma running behind the counter, and a few waitresses visiting tables. He didn't recognize any of them. He sat down quietly on a corner table, and a waitress approached him after a few minutes.

"Can I help you?" Her expression was friendly but busy. She tapped her foot lightly, and Shin smiled at her. This was Kuma's younger sister, but she didn't recognize him anymore.

"Only a glass of water Kumai Aya." He winked at her as she jumped in surprise. "When Kuma has time send him over here." Shin started rummaging through his bag and produced a trinket from Sierra Leone for the young girl. "This is for you."

She took hold of the trinket and examined it. A short string made it perfect for a cell phone charm, and she really liked the colors. "Are you Sawada Shin?" She asked after placing it in her pocket.

"Yes I am." He bowed toward her, and leaned back against the chair. "That's a good luck charm from Africa, take good care of it." Aya smiled brightly and bowed in return to Shin before trotting off to get his water and tell Kuma of his old friend.

Knowing he would be here for awhile, Shin watched the customers move to and fro. He was intrigued by the Japanese in a way he hadn't been before. Their speed while eating noodles, the strange way of removed kindness, and the formality of strangers. When Shin arrived in Niger almost 4 years ago, everyone had been so open; it had broken him of much of his reserved qualities, though he always retained his ability to be silent. In the process, the people he met there tapped deeply into his passion for friendship. Leaving Niger had been one of the hardest choices he had made.

He reflected, no longer paying attention to the movements of those around him. After 10 or 15 minutes Kuma came running up to his table, picked Shin up and squeezed. "My friend!" He held Shin at arms length, and smiled his ecstatic smile.

Shin smiled back at Kuma, and as Kuma released him, he went searching through his pack again. Another item emerged from the pockets. "They don't have bears in Africa, but they do have elephants, and if you aren't a bear, you would be an elephant." Shin handed the tiny wooden carving to Kuma.

Kuma gave Shin another hug, and ran back behind the counter to finish off the lunch rush. Shin sat down in his corner again. He returned to thinking about what he was doing here, what his plans could or should be. This year was nearing its end. If he wanted to, he could probably get into a university now. He could probably go to any university he wanted.

He leaned back against the chair, closing his eyes. The sound of the noodle shop faded away, and he felt his body falling toward sleep. The complete lack of sleep for the past few days and the jet lag was getting to him with a vengeance. He was used to being in bed at no later than 9 or 10 so he could be back up at 4 am to start his chores for whatever village he was staying in. His life had gone from being a challenge to get for school to being awake 5 hours before that.

His body melded with the bench, and slowly he descended into his subconscious.

The lines of the dream were hazy at first. He woke up in a house he was unfamiliar with. Outside there was a girl playing, she looked like his age, which was much younger, perhaps only 11 or 12. She twirled around and watched the birds play in a bird bath. Her dress was white, and looked like thin cotton. It was almost too large for her. Shin walked outside, and they talked together for a few minutes. She stood on a stone path beside the bird bath, surrounded by grass and garden. The words they exchanged he could not remember, but they became friends. She showed him around the garden, because though it was his house, he did not know the grounds around it. The sky was bright blue, and they spent the afternoon together until it was time for her to go home. She waved as she dashed away, promising to return the next day.

When he awoke again in the dream, they had spent many days together, and she had returned again as always. They spent the day outside and explored more of his garden. At the end of the day, when it was time for her to return home, she asked for Shin to come to her house the next day. She waved again, leaving the same way as every time before, in the same white dress. He awoke again in the dream, and the girl arrived to take him to her house.

They walked together, and though Shin did not notice anything going by, they came to stone gate, and within the grass was bright green, and there were stone paths leading in many directions. Her home was a castle, and she was a princess. He asked why she never mentioned it, and she responded that he had never asked. Together they played in the wide green grass fields of her home, and she introduced him to her two sisters, one a few years older, and the other a few years younger. At the end of the day he returned home. Many days passed in his dream, and everyday he went to their castle, and everyday he became closer to all three of the princesses. Eventually they asked him to move to the castle, and always be with them. He agreed, and together they grew, always playing in the various gardens inside. He especially enjoyed the area surrounding their cathedral. The grass was vibrant, and the paths were beautiful. The cathedral was made of dark stone and reached into the sky and almost touched it.

After a few years, when they had all grown the older sister fell ill. Slowly she stopped being able to play until finally she passed away. For the first time, Shin entered the cathedral. Inside the pews were lined tightly together, the floor boards had gaps, and it was lit by only a few candles. The aisle to the front was very narrow, and as he walked down he saw that underneath the floor was a lake. The water was dark and sparkled with the candle light. He sat down and listened to the sermon. The priest called Shin and the pall bearer to the front to carry the coffin. The pall bearer kept his hood over his face. Together they walked down the aisle, and down a set of stairs onto the lake below the floor. They carried the coffin onto a boat, small and simple with a long oar like the boats of Venice. Without speaking they crossed the lake and carried the coffin out of the cathedral and up into the hills behind the castle. All the way the pall bearer kept his face covered, and did not speak. Close to the top of the hill, the pall bearer asked Shin to stay where he was in the woods while the man continued on ahead to bury the coffin. Shin did as the man asked, and when he returned they walked together down through the hills and back onto the lake. They crossed and as Shin emerged out into the fading light of day, both of the sisters were gone. They never again played in the gardens outside the cathedral.

Shin continued to live in the castle, and though he saw the sisters, they seemed separated from him. The dream continued on, and eventually the youngest sister died. She grew sick as her oldest sister had, and eventually faded away. Shin repeated the ritual he had begun with the oldest sister, and again he followed the pall bearer up into the mountains. Again he was left behind while the pall bearer took the coffin to the grave site.

The middle sister, whom Shin had first met, he never played with again. He still lived in the castle, but everything in the castle that had been vibrant seemed dull. He would visit the cathedral occasionally, and asked if he could go to the lake again. Whoever he asked always said that there would be a day he would return, but that day had not arrived. Eventually the last sister faded away as her other sisters had. Again he entered the cathedral, carried the coffin, crossed the length of the water, and climbed into the hills. He released the coffin for the pall bearer to carry on. When the pall bearer returned and Shin prepared to return down the hill. The pall bearer stopped him. "It is time for you to see them again." The pall bearer said. Shin looked at him in confusion and the pall bearer removed his hood. The pall bearer had been the caretaker for the sisters, and he had been fond of Shin. "They did not want you to see the graves until they had all passed." The confusion Shin felt only continued. "They were all linked together, and you were the key. Follow me."

Shin followed the man higher into the hills, through trees and into a grove at the top of the hill. Everything was calm, and evenly spaced were the three graves. The pall bearer stood at the entrance to the clearing. Shin crouched in front of each of the graves, and said goodbye to each of the girls. He stood up again, and their figures appeared standing beside him. Without speaking they floated up to a platform and an ornate gate. It opened and a beautiful light flooded the sky. The girls turned and looked back at him, and it felt like they were biding farewell, if only for a time.

They disappeared into what Shin thought must be heaven. "They wanted to tell you that they would miss you, and they wish you could come with them." The pall bearer spoke once more, his voice anchoring Shin. "And that they loved you." Shin looked at the man, and felt the voices of the girls echoing through him.

Groggily Shin opened his eyes. The sounds of the noodle shop returned to his ears, and he felt his mind returning to his body. The dream was running through his mind. The strange images and sounds. The strange feeling the girls had left inside him, and how it felt like the future and the past. He looked around, and saw that the crowd had thinned out while he was sleeping. He felt unsettled and motivated to get out of the building and go find something. He didn't even know what.

The logical side of Shin was trying desperately to settle his mind, breaking apart the dream into its possible meanings. His emotional side just told him to run, there was something he needed to do that he wasn't even conscious of. Shin sat frozen, staring at his glass of water.

"You okay, Shin?" Kuma waved a hand in front of Sawada's face.

Startled out of his shock, Shin looked at Kuma for a second before fully regaining awareness. "Yeah… I'm okay Kuma." He furrowed his eyebrows, and shook his haze off. "Just pretty tired."

Kuma nodded and patted him on the shoulder. "We should get you to my apartment." Kuma pointed to the door, and grabbed a sack from the table. "And maybe some food!"

Shin nodded, and took in his surroundings for a second. His journal was lying open on his table. His pen was leaking ink, and a bag had fallen open on the ground. He assembled everything together and stuffed it into his back pack, only partially paying attention. The ink stained his fingers as he shoved it into a front pocket. He stood up on wobbling legs, and walked to the door with Kuma.

They walked through the old neighborhood, drifting around a few streets he recognized, but unsure of their final destination. "I got my own place last year." He took them down an alley and emerged on a street with apartments everywhere. "I have so many things to tell you, but most importantly I need to tell you about my girlfriend. Her name is Ami. I'm sure you remember her a little bit." Kuma glowed while he talked about her. "She is really something… we live together, but she's going to school. So I support us…" Sawada was surprised and quite proud of his friend; managing his fathers business, living on his own with a girlfriend he was crazy about and even extending his hand in friendship to someone he hadn't seen in years.

Sawada remained silent as they walked the last few blocks. While he was gone, people around him had changed; they had grown up in ways he hadn't expected. Kuma, despite his irresponsibility while younger had assembled a life he could be proud of. As they rounded the last corner, a piece of Sawada's heart came bursting into his head. There was someone he wanted and needed to see.


	2. To Wake

This is a ShinKumi fic, but my goal is for it not to be idealistic. This is really about Kumiko growing in ways she hasn't grown in the series, dealing with adverse situations that don't turn out ideally, and crossing the boundaries she has set for herself.

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"Shinohara-san!" She laced her hands together with sparkling eyes and a hopeful smile. The flowers were blooming. Spring! The time of love! She skipped towards him and reached her hand out toward his. The edges of her vision were warm, white, and blurred. His voice echoed in her mind, a beautiful tune.

It was faint and distant. His mouth moved, but in a strange way. The sounds he made did not sound like Yamaguchi. Could he be calling her Kumiko? Had he finally crossed the line of formality? "…u… O…. Ojo… Ojou!" It became louder and louder in her ears. She squeezed his hand in an attempt to hold onto the fringes.

But it wasn't working. Her dream was ending, and instead of her handsome knight on a white horse, Tetsu's mustache met her eyes. Her hand was wrapped around his neck as always. With a grand movement she released him and tried to wrap up in her blankets again. Tetsu and Minoru tried to coax her further out of bed. Minoru pulled on the hem of her blanket, but received a firm smack on the forehead. Kumiko rolled forward and looked at the two men.

"Really? Did you really have to wake me up! It was so nice!" She pictured Shinohara. It had been a year since Kujou-sensei had gone to his new school. It was by a chance meeting that Shinohara had reappeared in her life. Riding the bus through a part of town she wasn't familiar with, he had appeared from the mist. They had met eyes, and Kumiko's heart had almost exploded. This had to mean it was destiny! He was no longer just a detective, but a chief detective, on his way up the ladder of success.

But similarly to any man Kumiko found herself interested in, he did not understand her affection. He had to assume in the years he hadn't seen her, the fondness she once had for him must have gone elsewhere. Kumiko, in her years, had never overcome her fear of expressing her affections for another human being. Love remained the idealistic flower covered by thick glass.

Her hair was rough and tangled. Her shirt was pulled around to the side. She could smell her breath and it wasn't pleasant at that moment. If Shinohara really was right there, he would run screaming away. Kumiko flopped backwards back into bed and stared up at the ceiling. Her lackeys were saying something about school and it being late.

They always said that. Kumiko stayed right where she was. Her lesson plan began running through the background, and she remembered her need to be there early today. Something about a meeting and planning and testing… or something. It wasn't 100% clear in Kumiko's mind at the moment, but she was up and out of bed, something which came as a great relief to Tetsu and Minoru.

Her hair was up in the traditional pig tails, side part, a clip, and her glasses. Fresh face, no make up, always so very clean and simple. Pants, a t-shirt, jacket, and of course, her track suit in her bag. The red one today, even though she had a million to choose from. Already almost a year had past with her 1-D students. Kurogin academy had kept her for this set of students. As always, they couldn't avoid the bad seeds making it into the school. They brought money, and above everything that was what the school needed.

She liked these students. Getting them earlier had made it easier to mold them from children toward adulthood. There was so much excitement inside her for the next two years. Maybe they would all get into universities, or all have jobs lined up before the end of their last year. Maybe they would even be able to dream about a future again. There was nothing but hope inside her for almost everything.

Her bus ride into school was uneventful. Everywhere she went, she kept an eye open for Shinohara, since he was bound to turn up somewhere unexpectedly. It was an expectation, what with destiny and all. But today she didn't see him anywhere. But just like in everything else, she had nothing but hope. She strolled through the park towards school. A bell sounded somewhere in the distance. That was strange, it was still early. She continued her stroll, humming her favorite tune. The world seemed like a dream again. The music was suddenly all around her, a cherry tree stood behind her, and everything seemed perfect. Shinohara would appear at any moment. The music skipped a little bit. Something vibrated against her leg.

"Oh!" She almost ripped her pants pulling her phone out. Baba-sensei… Ignore call! Oh! The time! The bell earlier had meant it was time for school. She was late! Her legs burst forward. A tiny voice inside reminded her that Tetsu and Minoru had mentioned she was going to be late. She did her best to sneak quietly into the faculty room. The head teacher was in the middle of a lecture, facing a large grid with a list of the students graduating and their potential universities. This wasn't quite as important for her right now. None of them were in the homeroom, although she did teach some of them.

He wasn't even facing her as she stood up, and yet the head teacher just had to say something. "Isn't that right Yamaguchi-sensei?" Kumiko smiled awkwardly and nodded, acting as though she had heard the question. "We can't expect much out of this years 3-D." Listed down at the bottom of the grid, were the names of the students under the tutelage of Baba-sensei. Everyone thought that because he was the PE teacher, and therefore supposed to be rough, he would be able to handle the still somewhat challenged class.

However Baba-sensei was still as weak as always. The class was not flourishing, and unlike the previous year with Yamaguchi, there had already been multiple expulsions. The idea that a student she could have helped was getting thrown out of school upset Kumiko greatly. Despite the student's dislike of her, and the administrations limited patience, she always attempted to fight for them. It worked in a few cases, but the fact was Kumiko could not be everywhere at once. If she could have, every D class in the entire city of Tokyo would be with her.

"You don't know that Head Teacher!" She called out, contradictory to her nod. "After all, if they receive the correct nurturing from a teacher, any precious student can go on to be anything!" Her idealistic tone filled the room with inspiration, or at least that's what she thought. Baba-sensei projected himself as a hero fighting against adversity, or at least that was the meaning of his puffed out chest. One of the other teachers patted him and he deflated. The truth was 3-D ran him.

Despite his almost constant retorts to Kumiko's idealism, Sawatori said nothing today. His plan was to ignore anything she said for as long as possible. It was a new scheme to get her to be somewhat less of a thorn in his side. Everyone else knew it wouldn't last past the staff meeting. He adjourned the meeting and sat down at his future principal desk.

Kumiko appeared at his side, and began going over an aggressive plan to get her students into position for better grades and prospects. The plan was well organized, and she felt it would be easy to motivate them. Sawatori nodded his head every few minutes, and intently studied the pen in his hand. But a few words kept catching his ears. Something about school field trips and his participation. And something about a team effort with other schools. Suddenly the head teacher snapped to attention. A group of more than 100 1-D students all together? "That is a terrible idea Yamaguchi-sensei!" He glared sternly at the younger teacher. "How could you think it would be a good idea to have 100 students who cause fights and have no future all together in one room!"

Yamaguchi curled back a little bit, holding her plan tightly in her arms. "But head teacher, it would be good for these students to meet new students! Make friends with people of similar personalities. Maybe even spread their hopes and dreams to others!" She put her fist in the air, radiating her own positive energy. "It will be Operation Make Every School Dream! And everyone will find joy together!"

"Absolutely not!" Sawatori roared over her. "In fact I FORBID you to take your students ANYWHERE!" Kumiko shrank back down again. It was time to reorganize her plan. There must be a way to convince the head teacher, if only she could use more confusing language. Talk a circle around him, and then he would have to say yes, if for no other reason than her positive intentions.

She sat down at her desk, and began looking over all her colorful pictures and ideas. A city wide game of kick the can! She had never had a dream she more wanted to happen. Her feet were planted firmly on her desktop, both hands in the air. The image of all the students she had ever seen running through a field, can flying around them. Baba-sensei joined her on his desk, hoping she would see him being zealous.

"Yamaguchi-sensei!" The head teacher roared again. "Please remove yourself from the schools desk top! And must you do everything she does Baba-sensei?" As always, he was finding himself needing a bit of stomach medicine. "That woman will drive me to my deathbed, and if not her, her students!" He whispered to himself after swallowing another bit of medication.

Kumiko timidly hopped down from her desk. Her lips curled downward, she had stepped on her wonderful pictures. The teachers began to dissipate, heading toward their classrooms. The hallway art of the 1-D classroom was designed to keep evil spirits away. As well as the head teacher and his minions. Kumiko prepared herself for the day outside the door, holding her hand out, a strong stance, and determined eyes. "Fight oh... OH!" She whispered, and then slid the door open. Unlike at the beginning of the year, everyone was seated at least in their desks, and in rows instead of bunches. Kumiko was becoming more and more proud of this class. There was not talk of futures yet, but they still had 2 more years of high school. Better for them to enjoy their time now with friends, and not worry about what was still 2 years away.

She called attention toward the front of class. "Good morning everyone!" She set her books on the podium, and walked out into her doting audience. "Today we shall embark on a new operation." The eyes of the students focused on her in curiosity. "It shall be a grand adventure for all of us!" She attempted to rally them all together with her outstanding oratory skills. "Staring very soon, we shall begin visiting other schools. Schools like ours, with other students like you!" Everyone was now looking prickly. Other schools. Those had only been problematic.

"Whoa Yankumi." Her star pupil called out from the left side of the room. "Why would we want to go visit any other schools. How many of those schools have we fought with. You want us to sit down with them… and what… make Kumihimo braids?" Kumiko turned towards her student, and considered his contribution. They might be able to do those very well together. Make school emblems together. Make cell phone charms and exchange them as symbols of friendship.

"Kiyoru!" She rushed over to his desk and set her hands on his shoulders. "That is a WONDERFUL idea!" He shook her off and rolled his eyes. Yes, excellent teacher, you never understand sarcasm. "Everyone, I want you to think of something you can do with a student from another school, and invite them to join you in doing that activity! Kiyoru, you get to make Kumihimo braids!"

The class went completely silent. Kumiko looked around in surprise. They were never completely silent. "You really don't understand how bad of an idea that is, do you Yankumi?" Kiyoru got up from his seat and headed straight for the door. Just as was customary, everyone else disappeared with him. It had been almost a month since that had happened so early in the day. Sure they disappeared once in awhile, but that was jovial antics. Kumiko didn't like that they left because of her new plan.

She rested against the podium and reconsidered her approach. Maybe putting it into the hands of the students wasn't the best approach, maybe she just needed to bring other students to the school. That was it! There was a rushing joy again. There was no way to permanently deter Kumiko. She would find her loop hole. It was now a dream she had to make reality.

The students would return for their favorite class in an hour, until then, Kumiko went over her new ideas. They would gladly accept her challenge if only they knew the depth it would bring for them. The best thing for anyone was more contact. She cradled her head in her arms, eyes full of ambition.


	3. Octopus and Soup

Shin sat in his bed, wrapped up in blankets that couldn't keep him warm. The weather outside was freezing, but there was a complete lack of progress since he came home affecting him a bit more. In the past week and half, nothing had been accomplished. Over the past few years, Shin had become so used to seeing results from his actions everyday. A few more feet dug for a well, a wall for a house or school assembled, or a few boxes of food delivered. Now he had to wait for those that might be hiring to call, and for the entrance exams to come around. For now, he was stuck right where he was.

His journal lay open on the corner of the bed. The entries varied from language to language, but each written with his elegant script in fountain pen. There were dreams printed in that journal, both from sleeping, and from waking. In Africa he had found what it meant to dream. It was serendipitous to find that ticket, but it was also time to return. He had once said he would go somewhere he had never been, and do things he had never done. But everything he could do in Africa he had done, and now it was time to find something new again.

A bottle of ink lay half drained on a side table. Kuma lived in a two bedroom apartment, and Shin currently occupied the second room. This room was normally for storage. There were a few extra tables, a huge frame from Ami's mother, and general junk that they had no place for. His futon mattress was in a corner underneath the window, and his bag lay against the closet door. He did not mind the cramped space, but he felt he was imposing himself on his good friend.

He always ate breakfast with them, attempting to readjust to the traditional Japanese way of life. But by choice he mostly confined himself to this room. He reached around to the journal again, and began jotting down the notes for the day. It was still before noon, and both Ami and Kuma were out at the ramen shop. The peace was enjoyable, but the extensive time in this room was deteriorating his intellect.

There was a foreign need inside him that he couldn't name. It was writing in the journal today that he intended to uncover that need. The pen dripped onto the paper. Normally that only happened when he couldn't seem to find a voice. The words were all flowing, and yet, he was skirting around whatever it was that was pushing him. Sawada laid the pen down, and looked through this entry. There was a specific reason this was happening. He didn't want to know. His mind was playing tricks, and dodging the issue.

Shin let the ink dry before closing his journal again. When a problem had been bothering him in Africa, he went for a walk. It was below freezing outside, but going for a walk seemed the best therapy regardless. He opened the closet door, and hunted through Kuma's old jackets for one that might fit him. One of the sweatshirts Kuma had worn in high school met Shin's eyes. It looked warm enough, and Shin felt like putting himself through the cold a bit. He needed to get himself acclimated.

He bundled up as best he could, and locked the door behind him, journal in his bag, and the few thousand yen to his name tucked away inside. He wasn't sure of any sort of destination. The goal was just to get back into the world here. His skin was becoming paler, as it had been before he left, and he no longer received the sharp looks he had when he first arrived.

To most of the passerby's, Shin now resembled a normal young Japanese man. His hair was the solid black, and everything that had made him somewhat fearsome in his teenage years had vanished. The streets were not overly busy, most people sticking to their destinations in favor of wandering from place to place. Though it was freezing, there was a kind of warmth bouncing between the buildings. This was an old energy, something that refilled Shin's reserves in a way that nothing else could.

The streets passed slowly. There was no particular direction he wanted to go, only to explore. He could see his breath, looking like smoke from a fire. There were fond memories emerging from his past. He wandered, eventually coming along the river of his high school years. The strange slope down to the canal, bridges dotting the length. He dipped his fingers into the water and took a deep breath. The hill supported his weight as Shin lay back, looking up at the sky.

Though he thought he would be happy to stay away from Japan, there was something in all these things he had seen that told him, home would always be Japan. Going 10,000 miles away had only taught him to appreciate more what he had always had. His eyes closed and he rested, the sun poking out from the clouds just enough to keep him warm. A daily nap was still a precious commodity for Shin, but he did not fall completely into slumber. Though he was not freezing, it was still not comfortable enough for sleep.

In his journal, he sketched a small picture of this spot, using the ink to show the vibrancy of the grass, and the muted blue-gray of the water. Underneath he made a few notes about the place he found himself. The sky above was turning a darker slate, sun fading in and out between the last few gaps in the clouds. Africa had offered no snow, but Shin still remembered the taste of the air right before it began. It was touching his taste buds at that moment.

Realizing being caught in the snow would be unwise, Shin resumed his wanderings. It had been many hours since breakfast, and he was becoming hungry. He knew what sounded good, but he wondered whether they would be open in this weather. It was only a simple stand. He wandered toward the old temple and the park that the stand always occupied.

There were only a few takoyaki still on the warmers, enough for his order, and it looked as if Minoru and Tetsu were preparing to close up. Shin approached slowly, eyeing the two men. Tetsu had re-grown his mustache, and Minoru looked a few pounds heavier, but otherwise they still wore their brightly colored and vaguely Yakuza clothing.

It was Tetsu who first noticed the figure approaching them. Tetsu furrowed his eyebrows, finding it strange that a man was advancing toward their shop, eyeing both of them. He tapped Minoru on the shoulder and pointed towards Shin. Minoru looked up sluggishly, and squinted at the younger man. The gears turned slowly, connecting the face through his memory. "Sawada!" He yelled, surprised at the sudden appearance of their Ojou's first favorite student. He jogged up toward the young man, and pulled him into a hug. "You aren't in Africa anymore? Why haven't you visited us sooner?"

Sawada ran his hand though his hair when Minoru finally released him. Minoru held Shin's arms and considered pulling him back in for another hug, but Tetsu smacked him in the head, and Minoru released Sawada, bowing quickly. "Excuse me, we have just been wondering about you." Tetsu's face was slightly distorted, reasoning out that this was indeed Sawada Shin, and that for some reason he was back from Africa. For what reason; was this a threat to his love of Ojou?

The takoyaki were still sitting on the warming plate, and Sawada pointed toward them. "You won't mind parting with those?" Minoru rushed around the stand, and loaded a tray with all the remaining pieces. They looked slightly over cooked, and Sawada noted their less flavorful nature, but it was still the old familiar takoyaki. He sat down on the stone bench beside the stand, and pushed his hands into his pockets, finishing off the last of the octopus balls, and figuring out what his next best destination would be.

Tetsu busily closed up the stand, turning off the hot plates, bundling their flags and ensuring that their stand would be in the same place the next day. Minoru sat beside Sawada and went over the recent events in the Oedo family. Shin was happy to learn that Kumiko's grandfather was still doing well.

"Hey Tetsu!" Minoru called out to his associate, "What about having Shin over for dinner!" Tetsu smacked Minoru in the head again. As almost always, Minoru had no idea why he was being hit, but he immediately apologized again.

"I'm sure that Sawada would not want to come to dinner when he just ate, not to mention I'm sure his schedule is full." On the other side, Sawada hadn't even told Ojou he was back, or else she surely would have mentioned it, and Tetsu didn't feel like having a threat around the house. But if Ojou found out that Sawada had visited them, and they had not extended an open invitation, Ojou would punish them severely. Tetsu definitely didn't want that punishment. After all, Minoru was bound to let something slip. "But of course, we have to have you over at least to say hello!"

Shin smiled to himself. Tetsu obviously did not want Shin gracing their presence, but Shin was also a bit concerned. Kumiko would certainly not be happy to know he had been back for any period of time, and not come to visit already. He would receive his own comeuppance, much to Tetsu's joy. There was no choice but to accept their invitation, both in terms of self preservation and to be tactful.

The clouds rolled overhead, a colder breeze blowing now. The sweat shirt Shin had been wearing for the day was no longer keeping the freeze out, so it was either go now, or flee back to Kuma's. But it was never Shin's style to flee, so he nodded toward Tetsu. "You don't suppose we can go quickly, I'm getting very cold now." Minoru made sure everything was ready to go, and they were on their way.

Shin helped carry a few of the bags, hoping the mile to the Oedo house went quickly. The street lights were glowing as they passed into the area where everyone called Kumiko Ojou. They nodded to Tetsu and Minoru as the men passed by, puzzling about the third man with them. Perhaps another recruit, but it was of no consequence. Minoru talked the whole way back about the same things they had talked about early, and eventually he began repeating himself. But Shin didn't mind, the large man's voice was a kind of comfort.

The traditional gate met his eyes down a stone street, and the dark wood grooves looked more weathered than the first time he had seen them. The vestiges from their family's past dotted the grounds: traditional gardens, weathered stone, and Shinto relics. He removed his shoes once inside the wooden entrance. The guest slippers were laid out in a small cabinet, and Shin looked for the ones he normally wore when he visited long before. To his surprise they were still there, some more wear and tear on the soles, but still as comfortable as ever. He slid them on, and listened as Minoru and Tetsu announced their arrival.

From deep inside the house, Shin heard Kumiko's grandfather welcome them home. For being a Yakuza household, everyone was very nice. Tetsu collected the items from the stall, and stored them in the entryway before stepping inside the house, and continuing around the corner. Shin followed behind, wondering where Kumiko was and how much longer until her assault. Kuroda Ryuichiro sat alone in their family room, casually watching TV and reading a paper. He looked up, glasses resting across the bridge of his nose.

"Well if it isn't Sawada Shin!" He stood up and extended a friendly hand and bow to the young man who had often graced their halls while still in high school. "We had no idea you were around. The last I heard Kumiko said you were in Africa." He returned to his seated position, though a bit more formal, turning the TV off.

Sawada took a seat across from him, a cushion sitting out in the open. "I only came back a week ago… I wasn't sure when would be a good time to visit Kumiko." Kuroda noted his use of her given name, and not Yankumi. On some level, he had always known of Shin's affections, after all, how many students showed up on occasion to check on their teacher. It had always made Kumiko happy to know that the students cared for her, but the girl was dense and never knew the real reason he visited.

Kuroda never said anything on the subject, feeling his granddaughter's love life best left in her own hands, despite her lack of success. She was talking of Shinohara again, and Kuroda took that for a good sign, despite the awkward strain it would put on the Oedo family business. He passed Shin a glass from the cupboard and filled it with sake. "I'm sure it feels nice to legally drink this. But I'm sure you've been able to legally drink for the past 4 years where you have been."

Shin nodded his head, but it did feel good to be legal in Japan, even if he didn't indulge very often. The sake was room temperature and of a very high quality, going down smoothly. He placed the cup down on the mats and bowed to Kuroda. "Thank you very much, Kuroda." The man before him had always extended a kind hand to Shin, which was greatly appreciated when he was in need.

"Will you be interested in staying for dinner Shin? I would like to set another place out for you." Shin nodded, knowing that it would be the worst manners not to say. But even more than that, he wanted to enjoy dinner with a family that protected him. Kuroda instructed Tetsu to put up another setting. They talked quietly together for a few minutes, Kuroda asking many questions about Africa and Shin's time there. Sawada answered each politely, and the conversation led onwards to new topics.

Shin wondered where Kumiko was for her not to have shown herself yet. Kuroda sensed the wonder in Shin's mind. "Kumiko is in the bath, and afterwards we will sit down for hot pot." That made Shin smile. Hot pot was always a favorite, and the spirits all needed a bit of warmth. Kuroda began sharing a few details of the family business and on Kumiko and her recent endeavors at Kurogin.

It was at this time that sounds began coming from the hallways. The other members of the household were gathering in the dining table. Kumiko peered into family room, smiling at her grandfather, hardly noticing he had a visitor. Kuroda smiled at her, "We'll be there in a moment Kumiko."

"We're having a guest today granddad?" It was not often that Kuroda brought someone to dinner. She glanced over to the man sitting across from her grandfather, and nearly fainted.


	4. Insight

Kuroda rushed forward to catch his granddaughter if she fell, Shin not far behind. But Kumiko recovered quickly, and instead almost pounced on Shin, both elated at her former students return but also furious that he had not told her before simply showing up. "Sawada! How is it that you are here?!" Kumiko felt the need to insert other interrogatives, but couldn't squeeze them out. She felt breathless. "Why… When..?!" Now Kuroda was occupied with keeping her off Sawada. He was fairly certain that she would shake Sawada to death.

"Kumiko! Please stop trying to attack Sawada!" Her grandfather was losing his hold around Kumiko. Sawada was keeping a moderate distance, but Kumiko would cross that in a heart beat. Slowly, Kumiko relaxed, and regained her breath. Kuroda let go, and sat back down on his cushion. Realizing it might be a few minutes before dinner could begin, Kuroda called out toward the kitchen. "Tetsu! Please tell everyone it will be a few minutes before we can have dinner." A muffled response came from the dining room, and then a much louder groan from Minoru.

The two sat down, Kumiko on the cushion Sawada had previously occupied, and Sawada on the floor. Kuroda thought better of remaining in the room, and he quietly excused himself to deal with Minoru. Kumiko had only slightly relaxed, and was bombarding him with questions. Sawada attempted to answer those questions, but the flood prevented most of his words.

"And what about when you came back? Where did you fly from, how long was it? Where did you travel? How did you manage to stay healthy? Did you get sick at all? How are the natives? What's it like to build a well? How long did you stay everywhere?" Eventually the endless train came to a halt, and Kumiko regained a bit of her composure. "You know… I am really happy to see you Sawada. After all, you were one of my first and best students." Sawada bowed to her compliment.

He looked up and met her eyes, smiling. "I'm happy to be back… Yankumi…" He squeezed the last words out with slight difficulty, but she did not notice. The eyes of the Oedo henchmen watched from an open window, Tetsu twitching slightly. "I thought it was time. Africa taught me a lot, but it was time to come back to my home." He looked up and toward the open window, everyone disappearing except Minoru. A bodiless hand reached up and pulled his head down, and he disappeared as well. Sawada could not help but laugh.

To which Kumiko spun around toward the open window, lunged at the sill, and pulled all four of the men up and almost all the way into the room. "How can you spy on me?!" She swatted them all across the head, and threw them to the ground. Sawada was always amazed by how strong Kumiko was for her tiny frame. He had made it a goal not to fight with her. "All of you, go sit in the dining room, and none of you get meat!" Minoru audibly whimpered, and Kumiko smacked him across the forehead for good measure.

They all disappeared back into the dining room, and Kumiko sat down on the pillow again. "Perhaps we should go eat Ku… Yankumi?" Sawada bowed slightly, indicating it was up to her to decide. The henchman wouldn't mind a reason to come back and watch again. At the very least Tetsu would have to return.

Again, Kumiko paid no attention to Sawada's naming mishap; rather she made a bolt for the dining room. She was starving, and hot pot was waiting. Sawada followed behind her, motioned toward a seat next to Kuroda and Kumiko.

The traditional hot pot feast was laid out in front of everyone, the large soup pot simmering on a warmer, and meats and veggies on plates as well as floating inside. Kuroda handed Sawada a bowl full of stock, salmon, and cabbage. Minoru, despite Ojou's forbiddance, was fishing around for meat, and Tetsu had snuck a few pieces. Kumiko knew it, but she didn't feel the need to take vengeance. The henchmen needed their strength.

For the first few minutes everyone was silent, enjoying the warming stock. Often, Sawada would loose himself in thought sitting at this table. The brief bickering between Minoru and Tetsu, Kuroda pouring sake for his granddaughter and visa versa, and the serene traditional Japanese room and table, it all lulled Sawada into a familiar happiness. This was more than he ever had, even as a child.

Kumiko moved her hand in front of Sawada's eyes, reeling him back into reality. "Did you hear me Sawada?" He shook his head slightly. "Ah, Sawada, you never did pay attention." She laughed, "Would you come speak at school? During a home room… or something like that." Shin was taken slightly aback. The idea of talking to Kumiko's students seemed slightly jarring. Had it really been that long since he was in school that he could command their respect? Not to mention that they were Kumiko's students.

"Maybe…" If he did it, it would only be for Kumiko's sake. "I have a lot to worry about right now." Kumiko nodded, but still looked hopeful, as if there were no question that he would do it for her sake sometime very soon. And she was right. Sawada would do it, even though she didn't know exactly way.

"Having the kids from their first year is completely different from starting with the third. They still fight, but the school has calmed down, or at least my class has." Kumiko had her eyes set on the other two D groups. She couldn't teach them all at the same time, but she could try to inspire the others. "I'm trying to branch out, but Kurogin is just like Shirokin, but maybe that's because of Sawatari. He never learns." Kumiko thoughtfully ate a bit of rice, and then pictured Sawatari actually having faith in her class. A sigh indicated she knew how completely unlikely that was.

The rest of dinner was spent discussing Kuroda's plans for the family, the successes with the takayoki shop, and other such endeavors. Sano listened quietly; he had never heard much about the family business. Kuroda was a savvy business man, and a power in his own right, but he never struck Sawada as cut throat. That seemed a key ingredient to a high ranking Yakuza family.

But if he had the same manner as Kumiko, reserved, but capable of great feats of violence, that would certainly explain things. Again, Sawada was lost in thought, but the hot pot had all but emptied, so Kumiko and Kuroda allowed him to stay trapped in thought. It helped that Sawada had eaten all he could possibly want. His stomach was still small after Africa. A bowl full of rice and a piece of fruit was more than he needed for any meal. Kuma and Ami had both commented on his tiny portions at breakfast.

Tetsu and Minoru began clearing the table, Kuroda sitting back and reading the last few articles in the paper, and Kumiko was getting ready to move into the sitting room to grade papers. She tapped Sawada on the shoulder. "Would you mind helping me for awhile Sawada?"

Shin considered. It wasn't very late yet, but it was definitely far colder now. If he stayed much longer, the sweatshirt wouldn't stop him from freezing. He didn't have the money for a taxi ride, but there were buses. And this was Kumiko; he could suffer awhile for Kumiko. "Yeah, I can help you for a bit."

The sitting room had been tidied up since they had left it before dinner. Kumiko set down her bag filled with papers on the small table, and grabbed two cushions from the cabinet. Sawada sat down on the cushion she did not occupy, and looked over a few of the papers already on the table. "I've been asking them to write down schools they'd like to visit. Both high schools and colleges." She pulled out Kiyoru's sheet. He was being the most resistant to her ideas right now, which was unexpected. "This is my best student right now…" She handed the sheet to Sawada who glanced over the paper. "It's kind of surprising that he isn't willing to do this. Everyone else has expressed interest in a school to visit, either because they have friends there, or because it would be a day away from Kurogin, expect for Kiyoru…" Kumiko leaned against the table, folding her arms together.

Sawada set the paper amid the others, and looked over at her. A few strands of hair were hanging over her eyes; he denied the impulse to brush them away. "Perhaps he doesn't want to risk the peace in the class…" He could remember the first months when 3-D had relaxed slightly in Kumiko's presence. There were always tensions trying to break, but somehow she had kept the peace. From her near resignation to the weeks before graduation, Sawada could remember 3-D almost being productive. But even she hadn't stopped all of their fights. If this Kiyoru was anything like Sawada, he was wary of the stresses under the surface.

"But everyone is getting along now…" Kumiko tucked the strands behind her ears, and looked back at Shin. "How could it be bad to visit new places together…?" She trusted the bonds of friendship everyone had made since the year began.

Sawada looked back towards the sheets of paper. "Well, consider this…Yankumi. Some of the students have friends at other schools. That alienates parts of the class. And some of those schools don't get along with others. I'm sure Kiyoru is worried about that. Any class leader would be." He leaned back, and focused his attention on the ceiling.

The argument Sawada posed for Kumiko sunk in slowly. "I guess that's true." But Kumiko didn't say much more. They sat quietly together for awhile, Sawada thinking about the things he needed to do, and Kumiko flipping through the sheets of paper. Outside, the weather was turning worse. Sawada looked out the nearest window, and realized it would probably start snowing shortly. "Well… Yankumi, I believe I should be going. It's looking a bit like snow and I have to get to Kuma's." He stood up, and bowed toward her. Kumiko nodded and walked with him to the door.

"Well, if you need a place to stay, our home is open to you Sawada." He nodded and collected his belongings, storing his favorite slippers in the same spot. "I'll come to Kuma's shop soon, and you better be ready to talk to my class." Kumiko gave him a smile, and Sawada stepped out into the cold. Sure enough, it was beginning to snow, but it was so cold the flakes were minuscule. He slid down the walkway, and suddenly realized his real challenge would be ice.

There were no lights moving along the street outside. Sawada examined the road, and it was covered with black ice. The temperature had dropped so much after sun down that everything was crystallized. This did not bode well for his trip home. He flipped the hood on his sweatshirt up, and began the half mile to a viable bus stop.

About a quarter of a mile in, Sawada was beginning to take serious notice of no cars going by. Even if it was cold, one should have passed by now, unless something was going on. Sawada did not like his chances for a bus. One of those should have definitely gone by. He turned, and looked down the direction he had come from. A fine layer of snow had coated the road. No lights other than the street lights. Despite an instinct to return, Sawada kept going. Ahead, he could see the bus stop. No one was waiting, and he hadn't seen anyone. Sawada was wholly alone.

This particular bus stop was not covered. He attempted to conserve his body heat, but it wasn't very effective. The minutes passed, and the ultimate fact that a bus was not coming was setting in. After ten minutes, police lights lit the distance. Sawada looked in that direction, confused, but pleased that something was happening. The car approached slowly, skating along the ice.

"Sir, what are you doing out here?" The policeman peered up and out his window. "There are no more buses running because of the ice." Sawada nodded. No surprise there. "Do you need a ride?" He examined Sawada with regarded suspicion. Anyone outside in such light clothing had to be some sort of social radical. "I can take you if it's in the neighborhood, or I can send someone for you…"

"No… I can walk." Sawada was just as wary of policemen as this policeman was of him. "You need to finish your rounds." The policeman nodded, rolling the window back up. He turned up the heat in the car, and started to skid along the road, attempting to resume his patrol. That was of great amusement to Sawada, but he was too preoccupied to laugh. Kuma's was too far to walk, and he had no money for a hotel. That left Kumiko's. He knew this was going to happen, but he didn't want to impose on them the first time he saw the Oedo family again.

He watched the police car finally catch, and began driving away. Sawada looked back the way he came, and began the trek. A few times he almost lost his footing, and ended up skating back to Kumiko's. It was getting fairly late, and though the entrance hadn't been closed, most of the lights inside were off. The policeman was right, it was getting far colder.

Minoru appeared outside, sweeping the walk, and porch. Slowly he moved down toward the street, clearing the snow and dirt, and preparing to close the gate for the night. "Oh… Sawada, what are you doing here?" He noticed the young man standing just outside. Minoru leaned his broom against the fence, and pulled Sawada inside for another hug.

Sawada laughed a little, and returned the hug. "There are no busses running, and I can't walk all the way back to Kuma's." Minoru nodded. When alone, the bumbling giant seemed much sharper.

"Just go in, Kumiko is asleep, but Kuroda is still in the sitting room. He'll give you a place to sleep." Sawada nodded and stepped back onto the porch. Minoru resumed sweeping, and closed the gate. Shin observed him for a minute, and then stepped back through the threshold. Only one light was on inside and Shin had difficulty navigating through the hallways. Kuroda was still reading the paper when Sawada finally reached him.

"I wondered why Minoru was making so much noise. I doubted whether or not you had managed the last bus Sawada." The radio played softly in the background. "They closed the roads about 20 minutes ago." Kuroda set another cushion out for Sawada. "Or do you want to sleep?"

"If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to turn in for the day. I should get up early tomorrow so I can get back to Kuma's." Kuroda nodded and pointed him in the direction of a guest bedroom.

"But you only get to sleep here on the guarantee you will join us for breakfast in the morning." Kuroda followed the young man through the room with his eyes. Sawada nodded and bowed to his mentor of sorts.

The room he came to he had slept in many times before. He dropped his bag on the floor, and nearly fell onto the mat, feeling his body pulling toward sleep. With a good deal of effort, he pulled out his journal, and wrote a bit more about the day before falling dead asleep, his pen leaking the last drops of ink onto the page. Written in his journal, scribbled in Bambara, were the words 'I would spend every breakfast…'


	5. Visitors

The mattress was comfortable. Shin sat up, his journal lying open with a huge dry ink stain. A knock came at the door again, and he realized why he had been woken up. He stood up, made sure he looked remotely presentable and then slid open the screen. Minoru smiled back at him, and mentioned something about breakfast. Shin wasn't exactly sure what time it was now, but it almost felt late for breakfast. Outside the snow and ice had virtually closed the roads, and he connected the dots. Even though it was a day for school, snow had given them the day off. Lucky because it was almost time for winter break.

"If you still want to join us Sawada, you are welcome." Minoru smiled broadly again, and returned back toward the dining room. Shin looked out the window, and decided to stay a bit longer before making the trek back to Kuma's. He hoped the sun would melt the ice a bit.

He packed his bag up, and set it by the front door, taking a good look at the entryway in the morning sun. Back down the hall he could hear Tetsu and Minoru arguing over a bowl of miso. Shin smiled and walked back toward the room. Kuroda was sitting at the head, his paper open to the business section. Two spaces were still open, one with Kumiko's chopsticks sitting across the bowl, and the other with the ones Shin always used while visiting.

The smell of miso made him smile, and he sat down in the spot he was sure belonged to him. Kuroda looked up and smiled at him. "I was wondering if you were going to sleep for the whole morning." He set the paper on the floor, and extended a plate of fish and a bowl of rice from the steamer.

Shin bowed to Kuroda, and accepted the items. He was surprised to see Kumiko's spot still empty, but he thought better of mentioning it. "Did you sleep well, Sawada?" Shin nodded to him, and slowly ate his rice. Kuroda returned to his paper, and Tetsu and Minoru continued their banter. This is what it would be like to live with the Oedo family. Shin smiled to himself, and continued to graze, still unable to eat like he once had.

The bell at the front rang, and Minoru got up to answer. A face Shin had never seen before ventured into the dining room, and Kuroda looked down from his paper again. "Ah, Odagiri. Kumiko is still asleep, but you are free to sit down and wait for her, there is extra rice if you are hungry." The boy shook his head, and made an awkward movement to sit beside Sawada. As the master of reading minds, Kuroda eased his worries. "Don't worry Odagiri. This is Sawada Shin, a former student of Kumiko's as well…"

"Nice to meet you…" They bowed to each other, and let silence return to the table. Minoru had not returned from the hall, so Tetsu had no one to banter with, and Kuroda seemed to think the boys would talk amongst themselves, having returned to his paper. Shin finished off his breakfast, and decided it was about time to go. He was slightly curious about this Odagiri, and thought Minoru could probably answer his questions.

"Thank you so much for the kindness Kuroda, and to you as well Tetsu. Please give Kumiko my thanks as well. It was nice to meet you for a moment… Odagiri." He bowed to the men, and headed toward the entrance. Minoru was tidying up the front where they had dropped the supplies for the stand the day before. Shin stood in the hallway for a minute, thinking about how best to ask why Odagiri was at the Oedo house.

"Hey Minoru?" Sawada sat down on the step after tucking his slippers away. "Why exactly is Odagiri… what's his first name?" The jolly fellow looked up toward Shin, laughing.

"You mean Ryu?" Shin nodded and tied his shoes, still unsure of the best way to find out everything he wanted to know. Minoru might not have been bright, but he would find it strange if Shin asked a lot of questions.

"Yeah… why is he here?" That was casual enough. Shin felt confident.

Minoru finished organizing, and then crossed back towards Shin. "He comes here every so often to help us with cleaning, or with the business, or to help Kumiko with students and school. He actually always reminded me a little bit of you. But there is only one Sawada Shin." He smiled broadly. "Are you leaving for the day?" Sawada nodded, and felt a large pair of arms around him. "We are happy you are back Sawada, even Tetsu. Though he wouldn't show it."

Sawada nodded and picked up his bag, smiling back at Minoru. In the past twenty four hours, Minoru had gone from acquaintance to friend. A small wave sent Sawada out the door, and Minoru returned back down the hallway. A groggy Kumiko was sitting at the table. Her hair was a rat's nest, and Odagiri had clearly been laughing and received a smack in the back of the head.

"Where did Sawada go, Minoru?" Kumiko hazily looked up at her henchman number two.

"He left to… I don't know… probably to go home?" He shrugged his shoulders, and returned to his bowl of rice. Kumiko put a very large frown on, and Odagiri raised his eyebrow toward her.

"Can't believe he left without saying goodbye." She launched up to standing, arms across her chest, preparing to chase after her old student. It was then that Odagiri's imagination went crazy.

His mouth dropped open. It looked as if a sweat drop was forming on his forehead. He stammered while attempting to speak. "Did something happen with… him?" Yankumi looked back down at him with questioning eyes. It wasn't often that Odagiri was rendered speechless.

"OHMYGOD NO! Are you crazy? Never with a student Odagiri. Once a student always a student. Seriously, are you crazy?" She delivered a second strong slap to the back of his head, which sent him into the remnants of Sawada's fish. She sat back down, arms still crossed, but thinking better of running after Shin.

Slowly, Odagiri regained his composure, trying his best not to think of the fish bone stuck to his cheek. "Did you really have to do that Yankumi?" The henchman and Kumiko were rolling on the floor laughing. Kuroda couldn't help but chuckle as well. Odagiri pulled the spine off his cheek, and stood up to use the rest room and clean anything else off his face.

Yankumi gave a short apology, at least about the fish, and began devouring her breakfast. Slowly, it was sinking in that today was a school day. And that Minoru and Tetsu hadn't woken her up. And that it was probably very late. She finished a bite, and went into panic mode. "OHMYGOD WHAT TIME IS IT? Why didn't you wake me up this morning? I must be so late for school right now!" In a flurry of hair and rice, she disappeared back down the hallway. It was 3 minutes before she reappeared, fully dressed, and prepared to stomp Tetsu and Minoru into a pulp. But that would have to wait until the evening. It was almost slipping on the stone walkway that made Kumiko notice the snow and think that perhaps school was cancelled.

Inside, Odagiri and Kuroda were waiting for her to reappear in the entryway. Odagiri had come today because he knew the school wouldn't be in session, and Yankumi had called him a few days earlier about her plan. Kuroda was preparing to go fetch Kumiko for him when she sheepishly entered the house again.

"Wow it's… slippery out there." She tried to cover up her rash actions with marginal success. "I bet that school isn't even in today." Odagiri denied his impulse to laugh, not wanting to do a face plant on the wood below.

"I came by to help you with your idea Yankumi." She nodded, and put her case back on the step, happy to have someone impartial to give her their input. Kuroda walked back down the hall, Odagiri and Kumiko following behind.

The cards she had displayed for the principal were arranged on a table in the sitting room. Odagiri looked over them, and noted the foot prints on a few of them. "You know Yankumi, you could have done manga." He studied the proportions, and the bright colors. There were a lot of hidden talents to this teacher. "As for the idea… Yankumi… I'm not sure it's a very good one." He prepared himself for a bashing again.

But none came. Kumiko just looked over at him with a sad sort of determination. "You too? Everyone so far has said so. I expected it from Sawatori, but not from you or Kiyoru. Or Sawada for that matter. But I didn't expect him at all."

Odagiri was still curious as to why this Sawada had been here and then not, and why it was so strange. "Who is he anyway?" He ventured the question.

"Sawada Shin. He was like you and Hayato. Leader of the class, and very stubborn. Didn't trust any adults either. Every class has the same up hill battle." She rested back on her arms, looking up in thought. "Kuma and he were good friends, I saved Kuma from expulsion the first week I was there, and eventually Sawada came around, and the rest of the class followed."

Odagiri nodded. His class went along the same track. "But that doesn't explain why he was here, or why you are surprised about him… or why I've never seen him before. Kuma certainly doesn't get anything like that."

Kumiko nodded. "That's true. He did the first time I saw him after high school though." For a second Kumiko lost the question, thinking about seeing the Bear, and eating his ramen the first time. "Sawada graduated from high school at the top of his class. Gave the speech and everything. He got into two really good universities too, but instead of going to either, he moved to Africa. No one has really heard from him since then. Then he suddenly appeared in my living room last night. Almost gave me a heart attack."

"Hmm…" That explained why things were strange. "Why did he move to Africa?" Odagiri had never really heard of a high school graduate just moving to Africa.

"He told me when he decided not to go to college. School studies were always too easy for him. He wanted a challenge. But I think there were other reasons that he didn't tell me, and I'm sure he didn't know all the reasons when he left. It was pretty out of the blue." Kumiko leaned forward again, remembering the conversation on the bank of the river. That was an important river. "Either way though, it's good to have another face back and doing well."

A comfortable silence fell between the two, and Odagiri glanced over the cards again. "I dunno Yankumi. I think it's a good idea on the drawing board, but in action it might not work out as well. But I don't know really. Your class might succeed by networking like this, but it also might cause more problems than it does good. But knowing you, you'll do it anyway."

Yankumi laughed and looked at the cards herself. He was right; she would end up doing it, even if a few people disagreed. This was the best idea she'd ever had. Ryu stood up at smiled at her. "I think it's probably time for me to go Yankumi. I still have work today." She nodded and bowed slightly to him.

"Thanks for your input Odagiri." She leaned back again, considering what to do with her day off. "Maybe I'll come visit you at work Odagiri." He laughed and headed towards the front, stopping to say goodbye Kuroda. Finally, she slid all the way onto her back, looking up at the ceiling. It wasn't often she had an unexpected day off. She wished Sawada hadn't rushed off so quickly, she wanted to talk to him about Africa more and about plans now. Maybe she could visit Kuma, and figure out a bit more about Sawada.

That sounded good. She sat up, and thought about ramen. She would finish the school work she hadn't done the night before, and then go get lunch at Kuma's. The students forms were still in disarray, but she began to tally the schools everyone had requested. There were only a few in common, but she thought the school with the most requests would be the best place to start.

After adding the others up, she looked back over Kiyoru's page, puzzling over his decision. After sitting for a moment, she stuck the papers back in her folder, and got up to change once more. She was in good school clothes, but she wanted to feel a little more relaxed. As she passed by the dining room, Kuroda had finally finished his paper, and was eating alone.

"Grandpa! Why are you eating alone?" She sat down beside him again, finally noticing the mess she had left behind. She brushed the rice into her bowl, and picked up the few that had landed on the carpet.

He smiled at her. "The paper took a little longer than usual, and Tetsu and Minoru have work to be done. My second command is with his wife, and Wakamatsu left early this morning for a meeting. You had visitors, and I don't mind eating alone Kumiko. It looks like you have some place to go too." He patted her on the back. "Would you like me to come pray with you before you leave?" Kumiko nodded.

Together they walked toward the door, stopping before the shrine in the entryway. Kuroda lit a stick of incense, and together they clapped their hands and bowed to their ancestors. He struck the flint over her, and she smiled back at her grandfather. "Good luck Kumiko, whatever your plans are."

The roads were finally starting to melt, even though it was still freezing. Kumiko wondered if the buses were running yet, but her question was answered by one passing by. She headed up the road to her bus stop, and kept looking around in various directions. She always had to be ready just in case Shinohara showed up. It was a little late for him to be going to work, but he popped up in the most surprising of places. Unfortunately she saw no sign of the red thread of destiny. Instead, the bus arrived a few minutes late, and she headed further into Tokyo.

Kuma's restaurant was surprisingly busy. The cold weather meant more people eating ramen. She sat down at the only table open, and looked around. Aya trotted up, asking her what she would like to drink and if she was ready to order. Kumiko had decided on the bus what she would have, so Aya trotted back to the counter and gave Kuma her order.

Automatically, Kuma knew it was Yankumi, and though it was a rush, he darted from behind the counter and up to Yankumi. "Hello! Your noodles will be ready in a minute and when lunch rush is over I'll come and talk." Before she could get a word in he was back behind the counter, and Aya had appeared with some tea.

She leaned back in her chair and drank her tea, watching a few of the other customers. The hum or conversation and slurping of noodles kept her entertained. The bowl of noodles appeared before her, and though she wasn't quite hungry, they smelled too good not to gulp down.

After a few minutes, most of the noodles were gone, and she placed the chopsticks over her bowl. The soup warmed her stomach. The restaurant was at capacity, and everyone had their noodle bowl. Kuma appeared back at her table, slightly haggard from his day so far.

"Hi Yankumi. What brings you by today?" He sat down in the chair across from her, taking a short break before a few customers cleared out and new ones came in.

Kumiko gave Kuma her award winning smile before lunging across the table and almost strangled him. "Why did you not tell me Sawada was back?" She roared at him.

Kuma shrank to a cub, and cowered across from her. Kumiko carried a surprising amount of fear factor. "I thought he would tell you himself!" The customers around them were looking slightly alarmed.

"I guess you're probably right." She released him without much of a fight. "He was just sitting in my living room last night." Kuma took in a deep sigh and tried to lean back into the chair. But Kumiko was holding his collar again. "But you should have told me! And he should have too!"

He attempted to get out of her hold to no avail, but she released him a moment later. "I'm sorry Yankumi. I don't think Sawada knew how to tell you he was back. The only other that people who know really are me and Uchi." Kumiko nodded and her anger had subsided. She got the feeling that Sawada really didn't know what he was doing at the moment, and didn't want to burden very many people with it.

"Well, thank you Kuma." She motioned toward the noodles. "I think I'm going to go hunt down Kiyoru." Kuma nodded to her, and noticed a few tables emptying, and that his back up cook looked as if a heart attack was on the horizon.

While running back behind the counter he waved to Kumiko, and resumed his craft. Kumiko slurped down the last of the noodles, and left her money on the table. Outside, the sun was hiding behind the clouds, and she set off toward Kiyoru's neighborhood.


	6. Strange Families

Just for reference, Kiyoru's full name is Kiyoru Hisao, and his sister's name is Kiyoru Aiko.

* * *

The apartment buildings were stacked like egg cartons, and the walls were about as thick. Kumiko passed down the streets, recognizing the buildings a bit more until Kiyoru's came into view. He was standing outside on the second flight, a lit cigarette in his hand, and he looked fairly gaunt. Kumiko waved at him, and he looked toward her, but gave no response. It didn't look like a day to visit. He flipped the cigarette into the street before she started up the steps.

"Hi." It was a flat greeting. He was seated on the stairs, arms resting on his knees. Kumiko nudged him over and sat down beside him, studying his expression. "Is everything alright?" Hisao stared straight ahead for a few minutes, thinking about the past few hours. He pulled another cigarette out of his pocket and lit it, knowing that Yankumi desperately wanted to smack it out of his hand. But she restrained herself.

He rested his forehead on his smoking hand, and glanced toward Yankumi again. "Thank you for not accosting me." She nodded, and looked slightly more concerned. Two cigarettes in two minutes was a lot, even for Kiyoru. Either he was purposely ignoring the question, or he was even more distracted than he was acting.

"Really, Kiyoru. Why aren't you answering me?" Kumiko set her bag on the step below, and tried to catch his eyes. He avoided the contact, instead looking at the grey concrete wall. In an attempt to put them on neutral ground, Kumiko decided to share her reason for visiting. From her bag, she pulled a few papers and handed them to Kiyoru. One was his, and the other two were his closest friends from school. "Well, since you won't answer, I'll just share why I dropped by. Aren't those your two best friends? Why such a different response to the same question?"

He glanced over the papers and nodded. "Well… which question do you want answered first, what's causing me to act like a chimney, or about this paper." He was tempted to ball it up and throw it over the back of the stairs. Instead, he folded it up neatly, and returned it to her, inhaling another puff of cigarette. "It's easier to explain why I don't think we should visit other schools. All of the students in my class come from different areas, and up until this year, we all hated each other. It's a miracle you've changed anything at all. Maybe next year, but this year, it'll just make the situations more dangerous. All the warehouse fights… that's just boredom. But you're not gonna be able to stop it if something actually happens."

The stubborn block in Kumiko's head was deflecting his words. "But everyone has become such good friends, why wouldn't you all want to expand those rings of friendship?" Not to mention he didn't know things about her that others did; like she could break someone's leg with her pinky. She looked over another one of her papers.

"Right Yankumi, but that doesn't mean we don't fight. You don't know some of the hate that goes back years." He finished his cigarette and launched the remnants down the stairs in front of him. "They're just excited at the idea because it's a day off from school." In a fluid motion he stood up, and looked down at Yankumi. "You're asking for trouble."

Kumiko looked up at him, considering his words. Some part of her was saying something about trusting Kiyoru, but a much louder voice was telling her to trust the majority of the class. "Well, Kiyoru, I will consider your input. What about the other question?" Her curiosity was piquing about his solemn behavior.

A silence hung between them for a few minutes, Hisao walking up and down the steps, hands deep in his pockets, and Kumiko following him with her eyes. "Well… Yankumi." He mustered part of the will to explain, forcing himself since she wasn't going away until he shared. "Not that I really want to tell you." He was facing the street again, scanning the horizon. "But Aiko ran away yesterday. She and my dad got in a horrible fight, and she stormed out with a back pack before the snow started last night. They're out looking for her. I'm here in case she comes back."

"Why aren't you talking to the police?" She had seen aversion to the police force before, but never so much as Kiyoru had toward them. "They would be the best people to help you find your sister."

Hisao looked back at Yankumi, and sighed very slightly. "Look around you Yankumi. How legal do these houses look?" Kumiko thought about it for a moment, this was a fairly Yakuza dominant neighborhood. She'd known that from her grandfather. "My dad tries to hide it from you, but you never hear his language slip? You never think his clothes are strange? You never wonder why past a certain street, the police aren't around much?" Hisao opened his arms, and in a haunted yet prideful matter he stated, "I'm from a Yakuza family, Yankumi. I somehow doubt my dad would use the police to find his daughter."

Kumiko's eyes were wide, for more reasons than Hisao knew. Suddenly so many things made sense. Like why Hisao hadn't wanted her to see him outside of school, ever. Or why they lived in the area they did. All the dots were lighting up. Suddenly she felt very proud for hiding her identity to someone who knew the Yakuza, but also very stupid for not noticing earlier. How was that even possible? These were the sort of people she spent most of her life with.

Kiyoru was surprised with her complete lack of response to his statements. As far as he knew, any home room teacher should be at least slightly panicked. But then, Yankumi had never been the average home room teacher, and if anyone could let this roll off her shoulders, it was her.

"Well, I guess that's a reason." Her two sides were battling on exactly what to do. Kiyoru was right; she should've been acting at least a little concerned about the matter. But the side related to the Yakuza didn't feel like playing the part. Not to mention that she could actually help in this situation. "Do you really think your sister is in trouble?"

Hisao nodded and went back to looking at the horizon. Kumiko sat, looking at the same grey concrete. They sat in silence together for a few minutes while Kumiko began to consider what she should do. "Well… Kiyoru, just don't go down the same path as your father." She packed up her bag, and stood up, looking over the horizon with her student. "Is there anywhere your sister might have gone? Can you give me anything to help you along?"

"Not really, but it would probably be better if you didn't get involved, Yankumi. I know you help us with school things, but this could be anything from her holding out even if she wants to come home, to a rival of my dad holding her." He glanced over at her, the same determined look on her face.

"You certainly don't give me much to go with there Kiyoru. I'll see you tomorrow, better be happy you have a day off so close to winter break." Kumiko reached over and patted him on the shoulder. Picking up her bag, she disappeared down the few flights, and out onto the street. Kiyoru leaned over the stair case, looking down at her.

"Yankumi!" He called out, with an edge of frustration. "Don't do anything!" Her only response was to wave as she dashed toward the bus stop. A sense of desperation to stop her swept over Kiyoru. He was torn between staying for his sister, and the fact that his teacher, and quite possibly one of the most important people he had known, was walking into a situation she couldn't possibly understand.

Kumiko spent most of her ride home trying to think of places Hisao had mentioned in relation to his sister. Nothing stuck out, but she would search high and low until she found some trace. Upon arriving at her bus stop, she rushed home, hoping to find her grandpa. Her entry was loud, bursting through the front door and almost running through the house.

"Is everything okay Kumiko?" His reassuring voice sounded down the hall. He was seated in the living room, pouring over some paperwork from the takayoki shop and reports from a few of his higher ups. She sat down beside him, and organized her thoughts quickly.

"You know the area where Kiyoru lives?" Kuroda nodded, and set down the report from Wakamatsu. "The clan that controls that part of the city is the Toua Kai?" Again Kuroda nodded, confused as to why Kumiko had such an interest all of a sudden. "Well… Hisao just told me his father is a member of that clan. His sister ran away and they need to find her, especially because a rival could be holding her."

Her grandfather crossed his arms and thought about Kumiko's predicament. He did not know the Toua Kai well, though their clans had worked together a few times, he had never actually met more than one or two of their members. "Well, I will be happy to tell you who has worked with them, and release them from their business for the day." For about half an hour, Kuroda called all the henchmen he could think of, and Kumiko organized a strategy for the search. Out of her photo album she got the only picture she had of Kiyoru and his family. Aiko was in a small corner of the picture, but it would be enough to show her search parties.

The afternoon was swiftly turning to evening, and the henchmen filtered in one by one, coming from all over the city. Kumiko stood like a drill sergeant, preparing the teams and giving them instructions. Once everyone had arrived, the groups standing in columns, Kumiko began her address.

"Out there somewhere is a sister of one of my students. She is pretty, and young, and her father is a member of the Yakuza. I don't know if another clan is involved, or if it's just a stubborn teenager, but on your honor to my grandfather, and to the Toua Kai, you must find her." She crossed in front of them, performing inspection, and holding the picture up for everyone to see. "When you find her, you call me. If she is just avoiding going home, hold her there, and I will take her. If there is something more going on, then determine whether or not she is in real danger. Either way, I expect to hear from one of you before midnight." They all nodded, and bowed deeply to their would be Kumichou.


	7. It's Always in a Warehouse

This chapter is a wee bit violent, but what would a Gokusen story be without a brawl?

* * *

They all dispersed, and Kumiko joined her team, heading out to the gaming district. If the situation was at its worst, that's where Aiko would be. Each and every member of her group took up a street corner and began pressing passersby for information. No one seemed to know anything, and that gave Kumiko hope for Hisao's sister. At around eleven, when she had exhausted every street and still nothing had come up, a call came from her henchmen near the docks.

"Ojou!" His voice was as loud as a whisper could be. "I think we found her, she's lying in a warehouse. There are some large men around her, you said not to do anything before calling. We don't think she's in danger right now, but it doesn't look good." Kumiko was already mapping the fastest way, but it would still be a good ten to twenty minutes before she could get there.

"We are on our way, but if the situation gets dangerous for her, step in. Just don't let them know who you are." The latter detail was extremely important, Kumiko didn't know the status of every gang war in Tokyo, nor who was holding Aiko, nor if their involvement would reflect poorly on her grandfather. Kumiko hoped they were just thugs, but the docks were the next worst place to be finding her.

They arrived by bus, and there was still a mile or so to go. Kumiko ran so fast she could barely breathe. The warehouse was situated on a lower dock, and it seemed directly attached to a shipping port. Her henchmen were waiting around a corner, one standing on another's shoulder to look through the high window. She dropped down onto the concrete below, avoiding the stairs, and jogged up to them, still panting slightly.

"Okay… what's going… on?" She leaned down, catching her breath. The man hopped off the larger mans shoulders and bowed deeply before her.

"Ojou!" They all bowed deeply to match the smaller man. "She's been laying there for awhile. The men just stand around. Maybe they're waiting for others, or for her to wake up. We don't know, but nothins happened since we called you." He stood up, and avoided eye contact with their princess.

She grabbed a hold of the larger mans hand, and hoisted herself to standing on his shoulders. He had to stand on his toes so Ojou could see, and even then she only barely made it over the sill. Inside, Aiko was lying on the concrete as Waseda had said. Around her were a few men, all not particularly large, but all clearly Yakuza. She had no way of knowing what clan they were from, but she guessed it wasn't one her grandfather associated with in a friendly manner. Aiko was in this warehouse to be shipped into slavery in America or Europe. Her grandfather didn't deal in that particular trade. A respectable man, her grandfather believed, did not sell women.

Aiko was stirring a little, almost still, but slightly twitching in her fingers. The men hadn't noticed yet, but it wouldn't be long before she awoke to an unpleasant circumstance. Kumiko hoped off her bases shoulder, and thought for a moment. She didn't want to burst in, but that was looking like the only option. "Alright, henchmen. I'm going into the warehouse alone. These men won't attack a woman, but if you hear gunfire, or Aiko wakes up, get in there as quickly as possible. I want you back on Toriyamas shoulders, Waseda. No guns. Period." They bowed deeply, and Waseda climbed back up. Kumiko trotted around the side of the building, testing a few of the doors, and judging their distance from Aiko and the men surrounding her.

She came to a door that felt closest, and tried to lift the hatch. It was locked, but the men inside had clearly heard the sound. Their chatter had turned from inane topics to the strange noises outside. Kumiko really didn't feel like kicking in the door tonight, it was getting really difficult to do things like that, despite her strength. Their voices got closer, one asking if it might be the second party arriving. One put his ear to the metal, and listened. She rapped her knuckle against the surface, and one asked for a password or some sort of confirmation. Having none, she just decided to turn to the latter option. With full force she kicked the metal. In shook violently, and the men inside, particularly the one with his ear against the door, took a few steps back in slight panic. It took a few more kicks before the metal started to buckle. Inside all the men were preparing themselves, and Waseda did not like the look of it, they all had fairly large guns, and didn't look like the forgiving sort.

Eventually Kumiko breached the door, and stepped through the collapsed metal. Inside the men almost collectively rubbed their eyes, trying to confirm the young woman stepping through the wreckage. "You did that little lady?" One dropped his gun to his side, and looked behind her. Kumiko took a wide stance and took note of each man, considering the best strategy. They had all walked away from Aiko, who was beginning to shift more.

"Yup. Easy to do when you've got something to protect." The men all chuckled in that cocky way every one did before she beat them into submission.

The man who had first spoken took a step toward her. "Is that so? Well you've got an awful lot to get through before you can reach that one over there." He casually waved at Aiko with his gun. "And why do you care about the little girl anyway? You're not her mother… or sister… and you're certainly too old to be her friend." He strutted around in front of the other men, "Unless you LIKE the younger crowd." The vague insinuation left a bad taste in Kumiko's mouth.

Her ponytails were already down, but she shook her head, turning on the bad ass switch. "That 'little girl' is the sister of one of my students." Her eyes turned slowly toward the man who seemed to be garnering the most of her attention. "And she's just a girl. You should consider not harming the innocent. Her father may have offended you, but that girl could not have truly harmed any of you." She advanced slowly, attempting to disarm them with words. "Go after the man who has done you wrong, not his daughter who cannot defend herself." They all laughed, enjoying the young woman who wanted to instill values on them.

"Yes, of course that sounds like something we would do." He looked around at the others; all enjoying the same amount of amusement. Obviously it wasn't working, and Kumiko didn't expect it to this time. Instead, she kept her steady pace toward the group. The nearer she got, the easier it would be to reach Aiko, and the easier it would be to take down the men. But that also meant the easier to shoot her. She might be strong, but her skin was not bullet proof.

"Enough. You, stop moving. Men, knock her out so she may join her… student's sister." Aiko was looking around blearily. The fact that she was in a warehouse with men she didn't know hadn't sunk in yet. Kumiko hoped that meant her men would bust in shortly. Aiko was going to scream if she figured things out, and without a distraction beyond Kumiko, the result could be tragic for Hisao's sister. It was easy to shoot a gun in the heat of a moment.

The two men closest to Kumiko made their advances quickly, one about to punch her in the stomach, the other swinging his gun at her head. She dodged the gun, and spun toward the man, pushing him into the other man's attack. Taking his gun, she clubbed them both over the head. She threw the gun behind her after disarming it. The window no longer had Waseda's eyes peering through it, which must mean they were coming around the side.

Clearly not wanting to give her the same chance, 5 of the men advanced, two holding their guns ready to start shooting. Kumiko stood still, watching those two, and wishing her cavalry would arrive. There were still 3 watching from the sidelines, and Kumiko knew if she attempted to attack this group, she might just get a bullet. Once they were close enough, she circled behind one in a smooth move, dodging a bullet intended for her chest. From the metal remnants of the garage door, the three men that had found Aiko came running through the door, propelled forward by the gun fire. One had picked up a piece from the door; another was carrying an empty barrel. Shortly behind were the group Kumiko had been hunting with.

The room turned into a war zone, guns firing, and Aiko began to scream. Kumiko tripped the guy in front of her, ran toward the head of the group, and quickly dodged around him, his distraction pulled toward the man about to attack his head with a pole. Aiko was trying to get up, but her body hadn't fully regained function yet. Kumiko dashed toward her, and knelt down, trying to get Aiko to calm down slightly. At least three of the men had turned toward the two girls. Toriyama was running towards them, throwing another man to the ground. He crouched down beside them, and Kumiko quickly told him to stay there before launching back into the fray.

Most of the men were occupied with one of Kumiko's henchmen, and they all dropped quickly, having been hit with a metal rod, or in the cases of her men, a gun shot. Kumiko kicked the first man she saw still standing in the stomach, and he fell over, leaving only the boss who had taunted her, who was still holding his gun. Waseda was lying beside him, a small pool of blood swelling underneath. Kumiko signaled to Toriyama to keep Aiko behind him, and try to get to the door. She began circling around the man, he wasn't following her with his gun, but she knew he could change that.

"Well isn't this interesting. Just you and I left." He looked down at his gun, and pointed it towards Kumiko. "You've proven more than enough that you're an equal. Never seen a man take down half of a gang, much less a woman." Suddenly, he flopped onto the floor, Waseda hovering over him with the steel rod, holding his side.

"Hope you didn't mind Ojou. He shot me so I wanted to take him out." Kumiko nearly collapsed out of relief. Facing a gun wasn't something she did often, and Waseda was alive. The blood beneath him hadn't given her hope earlier.

"No… that's fine." Toriyama jogged over to support Waseda. The henchmen were all standing now, some holding various wounds. They circled around the bodies, making sure everyone was knocked out. Kumiko leaned down beside Aiko, who looked in near shock. "Kiyoru, are you okay?" She looked up at Kumiko, but didn't respond. It took a few minutes before she started moving again. When she stood up, Kumiko decided she would be okay, and turned to the henchman. "Okay men. Any of you with gun shot wounds, go to the emergency room we use. Haseda, report everything to your oyabun, and my grandfather. The same for all of you with another oyabun if you are uninjured." They disappeared, after bowing deeply to both the women.

Aiko looked cold, and Kumiko gave her the only jacket she had. "Are you okay?" They walked slowly out of the warehouse, Kumiko keeping an eye on the men still on the ground.

There was silence between the two of them for a few minutes. Aiko couldn't quite find words, but eventually nodded. It was easy to understand her silence. Kumiko didn't know what had happened over the twenty four hours, but she doubted Aiko would be running away again.

"Listen… Kiyoru… I want you to promise me you will never run away from your family again. Your dad has the best intentions for you, even if it's difficult living the way you do." Aiko listened to Yankumi, and nodded a few times. "There are things you and your brother still need to learn from your parents. And you are young, don't try to grow up too quickly."

It was an hour before they got to Kiyoru's neighborhood. In that time, Aiko had finally warmed up, and was looking a little less distraught. Kumiko knew she desperately wanted to be home. They came back through the egg carton apartment buildings. The familiar concrete of her own put a smile back on Aiko's face. The first smile Kumiko had seen from her.

They came to the bottom of the stairs, and Kumiko paused for a moment. "Do you want me to walk you upstairs Kiyoru?" She shook her head, and Kumiko felt a little relief. It was now inevitable that she would have to explain herself to Hisao, but now was not the time. "Listen… Kiyoru… you have to tell your father what happened. There are some things I will explain to you and your brother, but for now, please don't mention my involvement. I'm sure your brother will guess, and I will explain things to the two of you, but for now, just go home. Be happy with your family. The years you have with them are the most important." Not wanting to pour over the day, Aiko nodded, and in a sudden strange expression of thank you, she threw her arms around Yankumi and squeezed.

"I promise Yankumi." Kumiko smiled and returned the hug. Aiko disappeared up the stairs, and Kumiko watched her vanish. There was strange feeling churning in her stomach. She determined it was apprehension and joy. How was she going to explain this to Kiyoru.

Please review everyone, I really like hearing what feed back you guys have.


	8. Small World

I had to change a few things in this chapter after some further research into Japanese entrance exams.

* * *

Ah. The yearly ritual for senior high school students. Sawada couldn't help but notice that he was slightly out of place. Every student was in their school uniform. Sawada didn't think he could even fit into his anymore. Didn't have a chance to try, he had long since given that uniform away.

Today, a cold Saturday in mid January, was national entrance exam day. For the second time in his life, Sawada was taking entrance exams, but this time, he was a little less prepared. His outside world experience might help him in school, but unless a professor found his story particularly fascinating, the only thing that would matter was these next two days. Ami had prepared a lunch box for him, and loaded his bag full of pencils and pens. Ami had taken the exams a few years ago, and inside was a note telling him that they weren't as hard as everyone made them sound. It was an utter lie, but she was trying to make him feel better.

He figured he wouldn't actually need all the writing utensils, a pencil can only break so many times. Despite his anxiousness, this exam was only the prerequisite for the exam to Keio. He had passed the entrance exams once before, but this time he needed scholarships. Couldn't pay for the best university in Tokyo without a little bit of help. If anything, that's where his time in Africa would help. Scholarship boards liked unique stories.

He knew he wanted to immerse himself in both helping those in poverty, and finding solutions to the problem. The concentration of wealth in the top percent of most nations seemed to him an error in need of repair. This time, if he managed to get in, he had a hard road ahead. His goals required a double major. But before Sawada thought too much about it, he had to get accepted, and for that, he had to find his test room. The halls didn't wind too much, but it took him a few minutes to find the room. Inside, most of the seats were filled, waiting for the time to pass until the first test was handed out.

Sawada checked with the test supervisor, and found a seat for himself. Two seniors sat on either side, both from prestigious private high schools, and both looking slightly curious about their neighbor. Sawada smiled to himself and looked up at the clock. As the last seat filled, the supervisor announced their first test, and the amount of time that would be given. Civics, and in particular, his first major, Economics. The test itself was full of Japanese government questions, as well as a few related to major governments in Europe, and America. He remembered a few of the topics from his first test, but found that most of it had changed, and that he knew more about government than he had before he moved. Traveling through Africa meant dealing with a lot of immigration, and a lot of embassies.

The supervisor announced the end of the first test, and Sawada was pleased. If the next couple went as well, he might just be golden for the day. The test takers mingled for a few minutes, those that knew each other from cram schools sharing their impressions. Sawada remained in his seat, people watching a bit. A few students in the same uniforms were clustered near the back of the room, and the rest were bidding the minutes until the second test began. Nobody left the room for fear of returning late. It had been the same the first time around as well.

After fifteen minutes, the supervisor announced the second test, and handed out the booklet. Filled with maps, and complex questions related to geography and history, Sawada began trying to remember his world map, and the various events related to each part. After answering about 70 of the questions, he noticed the time winding down, and filled in as many of the bubbles as he could. History wasn't exactly his strong point, but at least this was something. After finishing, he glanced over the answers, and fixed a few he knew. As he corrected the last question, the supervisor announced the end, and a few audible sighs emerged. It felt nice knowing that the students still fresh in school had some difficulties.

It was getting close to noon, and Sawada was hungry. He was happy to dig the box lunch out of his bag. The test taking would resume in forty five minutes, and unlike the previous break, everyone was ready to get out of the room. There was a line half the hallway long for the bathroom. Sawada walked back along the hallway toward the entrance. It was cold, but he wanted to go outside for his lunch. The cool air would wake his senses up a bit, and he needed a breath of fresh air. The next text was going to be the most difficult. He knew the Japanese language as a native and would be able to answer all the questions related to it, but there was also a section on English.

Of course he had done well in high school with it, but he had used English a grand total of two times since then, and learning four other languages had buried much of his knowledge. Kuma and Ami had done their best to use English with him, but the language had slipped for them just as it had for him. Years of not using something did that.

He opened the box and looked through the tiers. Rice balls, seaweed, cheese, egg, and a whole section dedicated to vegetables. Ami had clearly spent a good hour putting the box together. He grazed slowly, admiring her handiwork, and trying his best to think only English. From his bag he retrieved his journal, and began jotting sentences in the language. Even after studying for years, he knew most Japanese people never mastered English. All the cases, the various ways of saying the same thing, but it meaning something slightly different, and the cultural differences. Sawada remembered wanting to say things the way he would in Japanese, and finding no direct translation.

'I see carrot.' That looked weird. Ah yes, their articles. 'I see a carrot.' So would it be 'I see many carrot?' Sawada sighed. He knew that was wrong, but doing plurals in English was like torture. Each and every noun had its own plural. He liked in Japanese that there was no difference between single and plural. It was carrot, whether there were one or ten. But all this was too easy. He could only imagine what they would ask. At least the preliminary test didn't feature an essay. But he knew there would be one for the Keio exam. The previous round had been about the Patriot Act in America.

There had been a lot of news coverage on America, so he knew enough about it to form a strong opinion, but writing a strong concise essay, and making his point clear in the language had been nearly impossible. He sighed, and began writing a journal entry in English. Every so often he had to stop and try to remember whether or not he knew the word he wanted. There was a deep frustration inside, with his other languages; there was no need to remember the word. He knew it. It was already there.

But he cranked the journal entry out, and felt a little better about his coming test. Finishing his box lunch, he tucked it back into his bag. He only had a few minutes, so he ran to the bathroom, and then returned to his testing room. His two neighbors were already sitting, pouring over American news, and their notes. The supervisor was sitting at a desk, preparing some audio equipment, and Sawada raised his eyebrow. He had heard talk of a listening test, but hadn't realized they had started. He didn't know whether to be happy, or deeply concerned. He could read English okay, but he didn't know if he could understand it.

The supervisor announced the beginning of the third test, mentioning the strange devices and its format. In unison, the prospective students began the final test of the day, long paragraphs on the Japanese language, and the study of rarely used characters. The second half was dedicated to English, 50 questions dedicated to grammar and word defenitions. He glanced over the questions, sighed. and starting filling in the bubbles. As he got further in, it felt like the strands he had been grasping at were returning in full force.

As he filled in the last bubble, and glanced around, he realized he had a good ten minutes left before the listening portion. His neighbors were buried in their booklets, and only one other head was looking up. Someone a few rows ahead, and in one of those fancy uniforms. Second done, that was worth mention.

The supervisor stood up, bringing the section to a close. Another few minutes, and they began the listening. Sawada focused on each word as much as he could. About half of them went by without him understanding, but he got the gist of the conversation. By some miracle, he pieced together answers to the questions. Sawada was pleased with his brain recalling as much as it had. As the last recording ended, Sawada sighed in relief.

Everyone departed in a stream of uniforms, Sawada the only blemish. He sat back on the concrete ledge where he had rested during lunch. He looked over his English journal entry, and began writing another, peppering a few English words in between the Bambara.

"Excuse me…" A young voice interrupted his stream of thought. Sawada looked up, grimacing slightly as a ray of sunlight hit his eyes. The young man was one of his test taking neighbors. "I'm sorry to interrupt you…"

Sawada got the distinct feeling the boy wanted to ask him some questions. "It's no problem. What can I do for you?"

The boy looked at his feet, and then toward Sawada. "Are you a Sawada?" The young man avoided eye contact with Shin, and looked thoroughly awkward. The question was completely unexpected. Shin almost dropped his pen, calculating how exactly the young man could know his name.

He closed his journal and stuck it in his backpack, knowing there would be no time for writing now. "Yes I am… How is it you know that?"

The boy bowed, and handed him a business card. "I am Yoshida Akio of Waseda High School." Sawada glanced over the card, noting his position in the high school, a member of the student council, and in the top of his class. "It's nice to meet you… I know"

"My sister." Waseda high school, the all boys prep school for Waseda University. "She went to a school close to yours. And you must be doing preliminaries for your university." To each question the boy nodded. "So how is it that you know what I look like, and why are you asking?" Sawada didn't feel like being formal about this, following none of the correct procedure for new meetings.

Akio was slightly put off by his behavior, but Natsumi had mentioned her brother and his nature before. "Well… yes, I went to a school near Natsumi's. She has a picture of you in her dorm." Sawada had been to see his sister once since he came back; he knew the picture Akio meant. "That's how I recognized you. She has talked about you before, so I wanted to meet you. While we were in the test, it didn't seem like a good idea to talk, but since it's over for the day…"

Sawada nodded, and wrestled a bit with what to think. This Akio fellow obviously knew his sister enough to see her dormitory at Housei, not to mention having discussions involving him. "Sit down Yoshida." He was blunt, and the boy did as Sawada said. "I'm guessing you know my sister as more than just a friend. That's fine. But do not hurt her." There were overtones that Sawada left out, knowing Akio would understand. "Now why don't we go get some dinner together so you aren't terrified of me."

Akio figured he didn't have much of a choice, so as Sawada stood up, he followed. Natsumi had wanted Yoshida to meet Shin, but she hadn't intended for them to meet without her around. In all truth, Sawada was pleased with Akio's courage. "Where are we going?" They had walked to the train station before he asked the question.

Sawada glanced over the list, and picked the best train. "We're going to my friend's ramen shop. Don't worry, it won't take too long." They walked together down to the platform, and silence resumed between the two. Akio fidgeted with his bag a bit, and as they stepped onto the train, Sawada noticed how awkward Yoshida was being. There was one open seat. "Why don't you take the seat Yoshida." Sawada grabbed a hold of the metal bar along the ceiling. Akio bowed and took the seat.

The train ride went by quickly. Their stop was only a few miles away, and when they arrived, Shin tapped Akio on the shoulder and signaled to follow him again. His ability to follow directions was impressive. Sawada laughed to himself, considering which was a better quality, the courage, or that. It was still fairly early in the day, not quite 4 o'clock. Sawada wasn't sure if the ramen shop would be busy.

"Just a block or two Yoshida. It's good ramen. Been in his family since his dad." That sounded surprisingly good actually. Sawada made a mental note to share that with Kuma. "His name is Kumai Teruo. We call him Kuma." Hopping up the stairs, Sawada put his hands in his pocket, and began moving through the crowds with a kind of agility only known to the people that lived in the area. Akio tried his best to keep up, but every time he tried to follow the path Shin had cut, he found a person in his way. Another fact that Sawada noted. At least this boy hadn't spent extensive amount of time in this unsavory part of town. Another good mark. Akio didn't know that all the things he did were being noted by Sawada, and that things were going well.

"Sawada!" Akio called out in a slight panic. A moving wall was pushing him back towards the stairs, and Shin trotted around, pulling his collar into safety. There was a distinct smile on his face, and Akio grinned sheepishly. "Thank you." Sawada nodded and took his pace a little slower so that they wouldn't get separated.

They came to the last corner, and Sawada pointed out the shop. Akio glanced toward the red curtains, and nodded. "Welcome to Kumai Ramen Yoshida." Sawada pulled the curtain open, letting the younger boy in. "Just pick a table, I'll join you there in a minute." Akio nodded and picked the very same one Sawada had when he first visited Kumai Ramen after returning from Africa. Another point for Akio. Sawada walked up to the line, and waved to Kuma, who glanced up and smiled.

"Hey Sawada! How did the test go?" Kuma almost dropped his ladle into the broth he was stirring. Burning his fingers slightly, he rescued it, and ran over to the sink.

Sawada suppressed his laughter, and leaned against the counter. "You okay there Kuma?" The Bear nodded. "The test went okay. There's a listening section now, but I managed." Sawada had been pleased with his dormant English skills. "Tomorrow is the math and science section. That'll be fun since I haven't used math like that for awhile."

"But you knew that stuff easy." Kuma put a bit of salve on his finger, and looked at Sawada.

"Yeah, we'll see." Sawada glanced over at Akio. "But, my sister's boyfriend is over at that table." He casually pointed toward Yoshida. "SO, mess with him! He seems like a good guy, but you know…" Kuma nodded. The same thing would happen if it was Aya.

Sawada walked over to the table, and sat down across from Akio. He was looking over the single sided menu, not sure what kind of ramen he wanted. "Have you had this Osaka style ramen?" Akio was looking over the ingredients and it sounded good.

"Nope. That one was added while I was gone. My ramen bowl is actually…" he pointed to one a few up from the noodles Akio was looking at, "the Yankumi bowl. It's named after our teacher from the last year of high school. She still comes here actually. I can't imagine how surprised she was when Kuma named the noodles after her." Sawada pictured Kumiko, her eyes getting wide, and mouth dropping open. It was always elegant, despite the fact that anyone else would have looked slack-jawed.

"Hum…" Akio noted Sawada's face when he fell quiet. "Well… I guess those sound good too." Yoshida was still going with the Osaka style noodles. After all, they were named after a soccer player, and Akio really liked soccer.

Aya trotted over a minute later, smiling at Sawada. "Hi hi Sawada! What can we get you?" He pointed to the two noodle bowls. Aya handed them two towels for their hands, and the boys both returned them, Sawada still noting all of Akio's movements. He had good towel style. "I'll be back in a few minutes with your noodles." She bowed and trotted away towards Kuma.

Akio sat rigid, back straight, and eyes toward the table. "Well Yoshida, how do you feel about your test?"

In truth Akio felt he was going to get in fairly easily to Waseda. His parents were wealthy, he had maintained good grades, went to an excellent cram school, not to mention his high school. But it was never the style to be boastful. "I am very concerned. The entrance exams are difficult, I hope my preparations were enough, but there is always more I could have done."

Sawada nodded. "Well I'm sure you're doing fine. Waseda High School generally goes right into Waseda University." Akio nodded and smiled, doing his best to show appreciation for his company's compliment. "How long have you been… friends… with my sister?" Sawada leaned back, really just waiting for his noodles.

Yoshida's eyes were back to the table top. "Well, I've known her for about three years; we've been friends for two. She was always very kind." He remembered the chocolates she had given him for Valentines Day. They had been the nicest of the few he received.

"She can be very kind. She can also be very stubborn. Too stubborn for her own good. Have you met our father?" Sawada crossed his arms across his chest. This topic didn't bring him any joy.

Akio hadn't moved his eyes. A bowl of noodles appeared in the spot he was staring, and they both took the opportunity to interrupt the conversation. "Enjoy!" They both spoke together. Akio was trying to figure how to politely say that his father was one of the scariest men Yoshida had ever met. Sawada could read his facial expressions.

"You don't have to answer that, I know my father is terrifying." Although he really wasn't for Sawada, years of disobedience had broken Sawada of fear.

"Oh he's not that bad, just clearly a strong individual." It was a lot easier since Sawada had said it instead. "These noodles are delicious." Akio kept good manners while eating, slurping his noodles, but not inhaling them like Kumiko did so often.

"It's okay. I know what it is like. Although I must guess it's worse for you." Sawada could only imagine how his father would treat Akio. "Or maybe not… at least you seem well to do and respectable."

"Oh no… my family does okay…" Again, Akio played down the compliment, just as Sawada expected him to. They finished the rest of their noodles mostly in silence. Kuma kept looking over, waiting for the bowls to be finished so he could run over.

Sawada eventually slurped down the last of his noodles, and set his chopsticks on the table. Akio, who had slowed down so he wasn't the first to finish, quickly followed Sawada's example. As his last chopstick full disappeared, Kuma appeared, grabbing both of the bowls. He tripped on an engineered accident, spilling half the slightly warm broth onto Akio's lap.

The boy shot up, feeling the liquid soak into his clothes, and feeling frustrated by the large mans clumsiness, but not once did his face display that emotion, and he immediately asked if Kuma was okay. Kuma raised his eye brow, as did Shin. Both were impressed with his calmness, but both were also displeased with his lack of personality.

"I'm fine, I'm sorry about your clothes... we can pay for the dry cleaning bill." Kuma offered him a rag to dry some of Yoshida's jacket. "The bathroom is right through there." He pointed toward a small hallway by the counter.

"No, it's fine. Don't worry about this, I won't need them much longer anyway. I will go use the restroom though." He took the rag and walked slowly toward the hall, smelling his jacket along the way.

Kuma flopped down into the chair Yoshida had vacated. "Wow… super calm guy. If I were him, I would be on the floor with a fist in my face right now." Sawada nodded, arms back over his chest.

"Good for my sister I guess. He's everything I'm not, so I'm sure my dad is thrilled." Sawada was happy for his sister though. If he made her happy, and if Yoshida was really as relaxed as he acted, he would take good care of Natsumi. After all, if Sawada, with all of his high school antics, was able to protect Natsumi, Akio would be able to do at least a decent job. "Not much personality though. Kind of like cardboard."

"We woulda beaten him up in high school for being a snitch I bet." Kuma remarked before hopping back up as Akio came around the corner. "Are you sure you're alright?"

Akio nodded, and sat back down in his chair, as rigid as ever. "No harm in smelling like good noodles." He tried to play the friendly card. Kuma and Sawada gave a compulsory laugh in order to make Akio feel a bit better.

"Maybe not quite cardboard." Sawada said to Kuma, leaving Akio with a puzzled look on his face. Kuma nodded, and suddenly realized a large stack of orders behind the line, Aya calling for him. "Well Yoshida… I'm gonna go pay the bill, you wait here." The boy nodded, following the directions perfectly again. As Sawada arrived at the counter, Kuma called out that the noodles were on the house because of his 'accident.' He winked at Sawada, and waved to Akio.

"I'll see you tonight Sawada, Ami should already be home whenever you want to head there. Uchi is probably going to visit around 7." Sawada nodded, and left a few yen for Kuma anyway. He couldn't take free lodging and food from his friend all the time.

Again, together, Sawada and Yoshida walked back out onto the street. Sawada thought it best to walk Yoshida to the station, even though he was sure the smart boy knew the way. "We can walk together, I live around here, but I don't want you to get lost." Akio nodded, and fell back in line with Sawada.

"Thank you for the noodles Sawada." He made sure to overstate his appreciation. "The smell in my jacket will remind me to visit this place again." It was a genuine compliment, but Sawada couldn't help but laugh at how it sounded.

"Well, the noodles were actually on the house because of Kuma putting that smell into your jacket." They laughed together, and Akio felt a bit more relaxed. All the warnings and stories Natsumi had told him must have been true, but her brother didn't seem like a bad person.

As the train station approached, Sawada thought about how best to send his sisters boyfriend off. "I'll see you tomorrow for the math and science portions, Yoshida." The young man nodded and got ready to head down the stairs. Before he took the first step, Sawada grabbed his shoulder. "And you seem like a good guy. I'll trust you with my sister." He didn't have much of a choice. He doubted Natsumi would listen to him if he tried to get between the two.

Yoshida spun around and bowed deeply to Sawada. "Thank you very much. Your approval means more than anyone else's." To that Shin laughed again. To think his opinion mattered that much was surprising. "See you tomorrow for the exams." The boy's head disappeared behind the stairs, Sawada standing at the top watching to make sure he made it out of the neighborhood safely.


	9. A Speech for the Ages

Shin looked around the school courtyard. Kumiko had found herself a school just about as nice as Shirokin. He wrinkled his nose at memories from high school. Why had he agreed to talk with Kumiko's students? He turned around to leave, but reconsidered. He had promised, and it might be good to see what Kumiko was dealing with this year. With a solemn determination he stuck his hands in his pocket, and wandered towards what looked to be a more dilapidated section of the school. Kumiko had said it used to be more trashed, but over the years she had gotten them to paint and keep it a bit cleaner. It was still in need of work judging from the tarps and scaffolding still on the outside. The hallways were still painted in ways he guessed the school didn't approve of. Shin never remembered leaving the school trashed, or painting the walls outside the classroom.

Kumiko was waiting in the hallway; the walls behind her were almost vibrating from all the talking. Yes, these kids were like his class. "Sawada! I'm so glad you came!" She trotted over to him. "I wondered if you would show." Shin shrugged his shoulder. If he was the same person from high school, he never would have.

"What do you really want me to talk about with them anyway?" He leaned against the wall, feeling it pulsate.

She looked up and pulled her mouth slightly inward, a traditional Kumiko thinking face. He imagined she was having some far fetched dream of him leaning against the podium, dictating in a strong voice about how they should trust Kumiko, and invest themselves in school and their dreams and friendship. Really, he wasn't too far off. "I don't know exactly… just tell them to do their best…"

Shin chuckled and shook his head. A simple Kumiko answer that he could have guessed. "Alright." He gestured for her to enter and introduce him.

"Just a second Sawada! We have to do something first." She stuck her arm out, and waited until Shin begrudgingly did the same. "Fight oh… OH!" Sawada dropped his hand immediately as she finished. "Come on Sawada! At least say OH! With me!" She pumped her fist again, "Fight oh… OH!" He did as he was asked, mostly to get her to stop. One thing that would likely always be true was that Kumiko could get almost anything just by wearing others out.

Sliding the door open, the students went almost silent. She had told them something about an old friend coming to class today, and if nothing else, they were curious. Glancing around, he saw a lot of faces that wanted to be elsewhere. However, there was nobody quite as disinterested as he had been in high school, although a few came close. "Hello. I am Sawada." He glanced around, resting his arms on the podium similar to how he had at his desk in high school. His eyes traced the room, noting the art on the walls, and that the desks were in the semblance of rows. "Nice art. Especially outside. Sawatori does look like an ape." Sawada couldn't help but remember when the class painted his car with the giant ape. "We did the same thing to his car. Oh… I was one of Yankumi's students a few years ago."

No longer feeling comfortable on the podium, he leaned against Kumiko's desk, arms across his chest and feet crossed. "I know he's a pain in the ass, but just don't get caught, and he's all talk." Kumiko was looking slightly concerned; she definitely hadn't asked him to come to teach this particular lesson. "Yankumi… will you leave us alone for a few minutes?"

"But… Sawada…" Her hands were together, and she shifted awkwardly from foot to foot, an even more concerned look growing under her glasses. Sawada looked over at her, clearing the hair from his face, and raising his eyebrows. So much of their communication was done without words. "…Okay… Sawada." She couldn't get rid of her expression, but she knew Sawada wouldn't incite a riot.

When Kumiko had slid the door closed, Sawada turned back to the class. All attention was on him; because it wasn't often they were left alone with someone who wasn't a teacher. "Alright… Kumiko… sorry. Yankumi, didn't ask me here to tell you how to deal with Sawatori. I can't blame her, you guys have to figure that out on your own." He moved the podium and sat down on an unoccupied desk in the front row.

"Really, I think she wanted me to tell you all about my school experience, and why you should trust her. I'll do a little of that, but it's up to you guys on whether or not you trust her." He looked around the room again; making eye contact with the few that seemed the least interested. "You know, I was expelled from my first high school for beating the shit out of a teacher. The guy deserved it." If there was one thing Shin would never feel, it was regret for the things he had done. "After that I went to Shirokin… a school that shut down… maybe 3 years ago? I don't know exactly. I got put into the same class you are all in. From there, it became 'which teacher can screw us over the most?' It was that way until Yankumi started teaching us when I was a senior." He took a long pause, organizing all the thoughts swimming around.

"Naturally, I didn't believe any of the crap she spouted. Friendship, trust, loyalty. And more importantly, that she would get us all to graduate. No one dreamed that was possible. But every time we got in trouble, she got us out of it, and we all graduated. I get the feeling she's already helped some of you." There were quite a few heads nodding. "But she can't do everything for you. Don't do stupid things that are going to put you in harms way, because you are going to start regretting it. All the things she will do and has already done… it'll be on your shoulders if you mess it up." He leaned back a bit, holding his knee. "It's strange, but at the very least, guilt will start to keep you in line. All Yankumi wants to do is help you, so don't fuck it up."

The sea of faces took the last bit in, and a few looked a little more than defiant still. "But like I said, you don't have to trust her… or me for that matter." He swiveled off the desk, taking a few strides to the door. As he slid it open, Kumiko almost fell through the opening, ear still pressed to the air that had been a door moments before. Sawada stopped from completely falling. As he released her, she looked about the classroom, slightly embarrassed.

"Uh… thank you… Sawada. For the speech I mean." Certainly not for catching her, after all, she wouldn't have fallen. She only would have fallen if it was Shinohara. All of her students were snickering, and resuming their previous conversations. Taking advantage of the lull in attention, Kumiko pulled Shin back outside for a moment. "Do you think… you could join me after school? There is something I have to talk one of my students and his sister about, and it would be good to have you there for it."

Shin raised an eyebrow. My that was awfully vague. "I guess Yankumi. Although next time you're gonna have to be more specific. Just call Kuma when you're ready." He stuck his head back in the classroom. "Have a good school day. And remember that trust thing." A few looked back up, but most were too engrossed even to hear him. "Good kids." He looked over at Kumiko, half smiling. Without any other words he slid the door closed, and set off toward the courtyard. He was tempted to find Sawatori, but decided against it since he was almost sure Kumiko hadn't mentioned his visit to anyone.

He took small strides through the school. Tomorrow he would be joining Uchi at his place for the next month. Without anything to pack, the rest of the day was free. At least until Kumiko needed him again. He pulled his journal out of his pocket, and set on a slow walk back to the restaurant. Looking over the entries of the past few weeks, it seemed like Africa was years ago. The last test had gone very well, and Sawada felt slightly confident about his chances at Keio.

Out of convenience, Sawada started carrying a ball point with him. He still vastly preferred the fountain pen, but it was easier having the ink in the pen as opposed to in a jar in his pocket. He jotted down notes about the week, and a rough map of the school. The little high schooler still in him drew a Sawatori ape next to the map. He laughed and made a mental note to show Kuma. Though he had grown up, Kuma would still appreciate something from their younger years.

After writing a bit more he decided to close his journal again. It wasn't quite freezing, but it was far from warm. Since returning to Japan, he had acquired a coat, and was quite happy to button it. Feeling a chill pierce the wool, he decided that a bus would be more habitable. He stopped in front of a bus list, but realized a bus to his destination would be another half an hour. He could walk most of the way in that time. Holding his coat a bit tighter around his chest, he resumed his course, although considerably quicker.

He covered as much ground as he could, and when he came to a bus stop a bit closer to the restaurant he waited. It was only a few minutes until it came by, and he put a few yen into the machine. The bus driver welcomed him aboard, and he walked towards the back. Taking hold of a bar, the journey resumed. The bus was decidedly more comfortable. After a few minutes, he saw his destination, and was very happy to have ridden.

Inside, Kuma was busy behind the counter, and Ami was at the tables, taking orders. They looked a bit short staffed, so Shin grabbed an apron and joined Kuma. "Need some help?" He put his hand out for a pair of tongs, or a ladle, or any number of the utensils Kuma was juggling.

A bit of relief sunk into Kuma's face. "Yes!" He passed Shin the tongs, and together they began plating a few ramen orders. "My second called sick today and no one else could come in. I remember when I didn't even have a second." Kuma took a moment to reminisce. Shin laughed at him, and together they managed the lunch rush.

Once most of the plates were out, and everything had fallen a bit quieter, Shin tied his apron up, and occupied the table that seemed to now be his. He watched as the people slurped their noodles, and he found a chorus in the sounds. Out of boredom he rested his head on the back of the chair, but did not sleep. Instead he took a book from his pocket, and immersed himself in it.

It was many hours until the phone rang for him. Kuma tapped his book, and pointed to it. "Yankumi wants to talk to you." Shin nodded.

Shin greeted her, and Yankumi sounded a bit stressed, although she never let her emotions show too much. "I want to go to a small tea shop in my neighborhood. Hisao won't join us for awhile, and I want to explain the situation to you." Kumiko sighed a bit. "It's around the block from my house. It's just called 'tea house.' There's a big sign outside."

"Okay… I'll be there in a bit." Shin had regained his mental map of Tokyo, and knew of a bus that could take him very close. It was the same bus that had not come the night he stayed at Kumiko's. They said goodbye, and Kuma glanced over at him when the phone was back on the hook.

"Everything okay?" Kuma's eyebrows were raised. He could tell Yankumi was slightly distressed, just as Sawada could.

"Yeah, Kumiko is alright. I'm meeting her near her house soon. Anything you want me to tell her?" Kuma shook his head. With a brief wave, Sawada headed out of the shop, and down the street.


	10. Volunteering Information

The bus was only a few minutes from arrival when he got to the stop. It was far more crowded than his first bus of the day, and the only room left was at the very front. They were packed like sardines. He kept his eyes focused on the streets outside. It was not uncomfortable for him to be so close to others, but the courtesies of public travel dictated no eye contact. Indeed almost all interaction liked avoiding it.

A cycle of people moved on and off the bus until finally he saw the stop closest to Kumiko's house. It was a relief to be off the bus. Though he didn't mind it, riding as a sardine was not enjoyable. He jogged across the street, and followed the vague directions Kumiko had given him. Once he found the street around the block, he kept his eyes open for the large wooden sign. How he had not noticed that this was a yakuza neighborhood the moment he stepped inside the first time, he did not know.

The wood sign sat on the corner, and her grandfather's seal was painted under the symbol for tea. Strange place to bring a student. He pulled the curtain aside and found the wood to all be rich and dark. The lights were dim, but bright enough that he could see, and the smell of tea circled all around. In the corner he could make out Kumiko, her glasses catching the fire light from a candle.

She held her hand up, and Sawada walked toward her, listening as the voices around him silenced as he passed by. He recognized none of the faces, but correctly assumed that a few of them were henchmen. Her table was on a platform, and her shoes sat next to the steps. Sawada left his sitting beside hers, and took a seat across from her.

A warm smile greeted him when he looked up at her. "Thank you Sawada. I wanted a former student here for this." She closed a notebook that looked vaguely like more school materials. "Can I get you anything? Tea? Coffee? They have some pastries." Though he was thirsty, Sawada shook his head. "Are you sure? I'm going to get you something. Green tea?" Sawada raised an eyebrow, and Kumiko waved the server over. "Machida, a green tea for this gentleman. No full ceremony." The girl nodded and disappeared.

"Thank you Yankumi." It was strange saying any of her names he realized. Yamaguchi was too formal, he couldn't call her Kumiko though he wanted to, which left it at Yankumi, which felt too childish. "So who is this kid, and did you mention his sister?" He maneuvered into a more comfortable position, leaning against the wall beside him, arm resting straight on a raised knee.

Kumiko wanted a sip of her tea to calm nerves, but out of politeness waited until Machida returned with Sawada's. "Well. First off, he reminds me a bit of you. Strong, natural leader, and the fire." Her eyes were unfocused. "And he's very smart. Actually, the man you met at my house a few weeks ago… Odagiri. He reminded me a bit of you as well. Although he definitely didn't have your temper." Sawada narrowed his eyes a bit. He had yet to determine who exactly Odagiri was to Kumiko, and their described similarity was of concern. "So really, Kiyoru reminds me of both of you. And like all of my students, he's important to me." Kumiko looked down at her cup. Though she wouldn't say it out loud, certain students were more important to her than others. Sawada read that through her words. "And… his sister is the reason we are here I guess."

Much to Kumiko's relief, Machida appeared with the tea. She kneeled down and extended the cup to Sawada who took it with both hands and bowed. The moment the cup touched Shin's lips, Kumiko took a long drink. It warmed her insides, and she felt a bit more relaxed. "Very good tea." Shin hid the slight face that all good green tea caused. Kumiko laughed, noticing the small twitch in his cheek. She agreed, and Sawada smiled at her laugh.

When she had satisfied her mirth, the slightly more somber mood returned. "Well. The day you stayed with us and met Odagiri, I went to visit Kiyoru. I wanted to talk about the school field trips." Occasionally Sawada nodded, sipping his tea. "His interest in talking was next to nothing, so I coaxed what was wrong out of him. His sister had run away the night before…"

"And you had to help?" That had to be Kumiko's next sentence.

She nodded. "You know me very well Sawada. I told him I would find her, and I did. But it wasn't as simple as just finding her. She was being held by members from an opposing yakuza clan. In fact, she was going to be shipped into slave trade." Kumiko remember the warehouse and standing on Toriyama's shoulders, watching Aiko. "So it was more like a rescue than finding her. But they weren't just selling her because she was pretty and young. Kiyoru's father is from the Toua-kai. They were holding her because of a feud between their two clans."

"So even though he reminds me of you and Odagiri… there is this huge difference. Kiyoru is from a yakuza family, not a very high ranking family, but a yakuza family none-the-less." Kumiko took a brief pause to drink some more of her tea. "Over the years I've gotten better at hiding my family from my students. Of course Sawatori knows, and a lot of the teaching staff, but Odagiri's class was the last to learn about who my grandfather is."

"When I saved his sister, I had help from a few of my grandfather's henchman, people who worked with the Toua-kai. I know his sister noticed what kind of men they were, and I promised I would explain to the two of them." She took another long drink from her cup. "I never thought I would be willing to tell a student about myself."

Sawada sipped the last of his tea, and set down the cup. "You weren't that bad at hiding it. The occasional slip in speech, but if you hadn't lost your phone I never would have known. Or at least until that article." He crossed his legs and rested with his elbows on the table, thinking about all the times she had saved him or the 3-D students. "Why did you want me here for this?"

Kumiko thought about it for a few minutes. She could do this alone really, but it felt easier having Sawada there. "I don't know. I guess probably because you were the first to find out. You know what it's like to hide it from other students. And I wanted you to meet him anyway. He could use a little guidance from you I think." Sawada nodded.

Two smaller figures came through the curtain. Kumiko glanced over at them, Hisao's face slightly unclear in the light. She waved to them, and they made their way over, Aiko clinging to her brother's arm. "Sawada, would you sit next to me?" Kumiko moved closer to the wall. He nodded, and moved beside her, freeing the table for Hisao and Aiko. They approached, both looking slightly confused. "Kiyoru Aiko, Kiyoru Hisao, this is Sawada Shin… he was a student from my first year of teaching." Shin bowed, and the two Kiyorus returned it, sitting down a bit rigidly.

"Strange place to have us meet you… Yankumi." Hisao looked around, noting all the things Sawada had when he came in. "Since we obviously know what this kind of place is… why did you tell us to come here?"

"Before I answer your questions, we need tea for the two of you." She held her hand up, and Machida came trotting over. "Four more green teas please." The girl trotted away, and her guests noted how the room went quiet when she spoke. "A good conversation in a tea house only happens over tea."

A few minutes later, Machida returned, small tray in hand, with the four cups of tea. All bowed, and together, they took the first sip. Both Hisao and Aiko were used to drinking this kind of tea, so though it was bitter, they made no face. Kumiko set down her cup, and looked at the two of them. "First off, the two of you have to appreciate your family, even if it is difficult. I lost my parents when I was young, and in a situation like yours, it's even more important for them to know you care, because they care very much about the two…"

"We didn't come here for a lecture about family Yankumi." Hisao interrupted his teacher, already becoming frustrated. "I want to know how you saved my sister, and almost more importantly, why we're in a yakuza tea house." Sawada's eyes darted to Hisao, prepared to nail the boy to the wall for his disrespect. Hisao met Sawada's eyes with the same expression.

"That's true… It's alright Sawada." She took another sip of the tea. "Well, Kiyoru, you remember what the men that helped me looked like right?" The girl nodded. "Like your father, they were members of a yakuza clan. They helped me find you because they have worked with the Toua-kai before." Kumiko fell silent for a moment, deciding how best to answer his second question. "I would guess you know your first and second questions are tied together, Kiyoru? The men that helped me belong to the clan whose seal is on the wooden sign outside."

She pulled out her notebook again and quickly drew the seal, and handed it to Hisao. "I don't know how well you know the yakuza seals, but that one is for the Oedo family." Hisao and Aiko both nodded. They knew the name, but they didn't know its seal. "The head of the Oedo family is Kuroda Ryuichiro. That man is m y grandfather, and the man who raised me. I know the position the two of you are in. The fear you have for your family, and the anger you have at your father sometimes." She folded her hands together on the table top. "It may be hard to understand now, but you have the best kind of family. Your parents love you and want to protect you from the life your father has chosen."

Aiko and Hisao sat quietly, both fidgeting slightly, trying to understand everything Yankumi was saying. His teacher, the freakishly strong willed and caring woman sitting across the table, was heir to a yakuza family that held sway in a large part of Tokyo. More importantly, she was raised around all of the same things he and his sister had been. How had he not noticed? The occasional slip in speech pattern should have been enough to make him wonder. "I guess that explains why my dad didn't alarm you…" It was the first coherent thought he could put words to.

"I tell you and your sister because you two know why this fact has to be kept secret. A few years ago, Sawada's class found out because it was reported on by a newspaper. I was asked to resign, but they put together a protest, and even though I told them I WANTED to leave, they refused to believe me. The school declined to accept my resignation. Something I strangely owe to Sawatori."

"That ape did something for you?" Hisao was almost more dumbstruck by that then the fact of his teacher being yakuza.

"I think he chooses to forget it now. When I started at this school, it got out that I was from a yakuza family and the same sort of thing happened. Most of the current teaching staff knows, but students and their families don't. We keep it secret because it's hard to explain to parents why they should trust me with their kids." Hisao and Aiko nodded. "I wanted you two to know that the child of a yakuza is not a yakuza too. You both can do whatever you want. And you can both use me as a point of reference. And as for school matters Kiyoru, you told me the reason you don't want to visit schools is because things will happen that I can't stop? Are you sure I can't stop them?"

Silence fell between the four of them. Hisao was unwilling to answer that question, even though he was fairly certain she could protect the class. Even so, there was still a gnawing in his heart. So instead of answering the question he turned to Sawada. "What do you think of her idea for visiting other schools like us?"

Kumiko wanted to cover Sawada's mouth so he wouldn't say anything. "Hum… It seemed to me that she was asking for trouble, particularly because any D student isn't likely to get along with any other D student, but she has a point. Anytime we were in trouble she saved us." He leaned back on his arms. "So I would go once at least. Ku… Yankumi's ideas tend to work out well." She couldn't have asked for better from him. At least it wasn't the flat out no that he had originally delivered.

Hisao turned back to Yankumi, and bowed, head almost touching his cup. "Alright Yankumi, I will agree to your new idea." He sat back up.

Beside Hisao, the ever quiet Aiko finished her cup of tea. Normally she was fairly bubbly, but Kumiko had to guess the strain of the situation in question was still weighing on her. "If I need help again… Yankumi… will you come again?"

"Yes, but you have to not put yourself in danger." The girl nodded, she knew her safety was her own responsibility first. "However, if something happens again, I will come to find you, and I would guess your brother would do the same." She winked at Hisao, who put his arm around his sister.

"Can we go Hisao? Dad is going to get worried." Aiko could see her father pacing around the dinner table waiting for them. It had been an hour, and it was getting darker outside. He nodded and they stood up together.

"Thank you Yankumi… for explaining things." He bowed deeply to her. "And thank you for the input Sawada." Shin gave a small salute.

Kumiko stood up to bow as well, giving her student a bit of respect she felt he deserved. "Just remember to keep the secret Kiyoru. See you tomorrow." Hisao kept his arm around Aiko as they walked out of the tea house. Kumiko sat back down, resting back on her arms as Sawada was still doing. "That went well." Inside she was dancing, by telling Hisao she had convinced him to try her field trip idea, now the only hurdle was getting it passed Sawatori without him figuring it out. That would be a challenge. "You want to be a chaperon Sawada?"

He looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "No Yankumi. And no there is no way to convince me. They are your problem." It returned to quiet between the two of them; Kumiko was lost in thought about the coming days. Sawada looked over at her, studying her features a little in the silence. Her glasses were still catching the light from the candle.


	11. Getting into Trouble

I would just like to say thank you to everyone who has reviewed this story so far. Even if I don't reply, I really appreciate the positive feedback! I finally buckled down and wrote this chapter after rereading all the reviews. I'll try to update more often.

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Brushing her hair with her fingers, Kumiko attempted to polish herself up. It was standing room only on the bus today, and Kumiko just knew the red thread of destiny had to be somewhere nearby. Or she very much hoped so. For a week she had ridden this bus, which was just a little out of her way, in the hopes that he might show. It rounded the last corner before her stop, and unless he was waiting at the stop, her hopes would be once again dashed. She closed her eyes, and waited for it to stop. Everything rolled forward, and backward, and with much anticipation, she popped her eyes open. The sea of people parted and Kumiko stepped off the bus. There was no sign of Shinohara, and Kumiko gave a heavy sigh.

The puff of air disappeared into the sky, and taking a few small steps, Kumiko moved on toward the school. Pulling her arms closer around her body, she set herself against the cold. Over the winter break, Kumiko had finally realized it would take at least a few months of kneading to convince Sawatari of her plan. It was a battle of wills, and there was no question as to whom had the stronger one of those. Everyday she would ask, everyday it would chip away his resolve to say no, and eventually he would crack under her constant request. After all, she still only had her students best interests at heart.

The wind gusted a bit, and Kumiko's hair flew up, and landed in a wisp on the crown of her head. Smoothing it back down, she did not notice the man walking toward her. At a brisk pace, Shinohara was lucky to keep his balance at all as she plowed through.

However, Kumiko was no quite as lucky. His hand reached out to grab hers as she almost toppled over. Face bright red, and hair still in a tussle, Kumiko stood up sheepishly, and put on her sparkling eyes and smile.

"Are you alright Yamaguchi?" He held her shoulders to keep her steady, her legs wobbling a bit. It was a great assistance for Kumiko, who was mid swoon.

"O..Of Course… Shinohara! I'm sorry I ran into you!" Who was she kidding, of course she wasn't. "This wind has just been terrible today." Shinohara let go of her when she appeared stable.

"I'm glad you're alright. Don't worry, I've been plowed over before." He smiled, and Kumiko swooned again, though not quite as badly. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Kumiko straightened up, and gave an eager nod. "How have you been Shinohara?" She could see the clock tower behind him, and though it was nearly time for work, it seemed like she could spare a few minutes.

"Well. The new position is becoming quite rigorous, but I am happy. May I walk with you for a few minutes?" Without a moment's hesitation, Kumiko nodded.

"Taking down a whole bunch of bad guys?" She did a few fake punches in the air. "Cleaning up the mean streets of Tokyo." Shinohara laughed, cheeks turning only very slightly pink.

"I only do what I can, and there are many other men who do much more." Kumiko blushed at his modesty. She kicked a rock like a young girl might, and watched it skip along the sidewalk. They walked in silence for a few minutes, Kumiko holding her bag tightly in front of her, eyes at the ground, trying not to swoon again. Taking a deep breath, Shinohara looked over at her. "Um… Yama…Kumiko…" He took a minute before continuing, feeling a bit strange using her first name. "I was kind of wanting to run into you… Maybe not literally, but…" Kumiko was nearly breathless. He had used her first name. And he was acting awkwardly cute. "Would you like to…" One more deep breath. "Go to… dinner sometime?"

Kumiko nearly stopped dead in her tracks. It was all she could do to not run around screaming, or faint, or somehow do both. Play it cool Kumiko, she thought to herself. "Uh… Yes… Shi… um…" Kumiko could barely say a full sentence, let alone his name. "Tomo..ya. That would be… wonderful." Shinohara sighed a deep breath of relief, and they both looked like tomatoes.

"I'm so glad you said yes… Kumiko." He smiled brightly at her. They continued to walk down the path, side by side, Kumiko's knees desperately trying not to buckle after every step. Shinohara… had asked her… to dinner. Today could only be the most wonderful day ever. As they reached the school gate, Kumiko turned to look at Shinohara. She couldn't quite make eye contact, but she tried. "Well… Kumiko. Would tonight be all right? Maybe around 6 or 7?" Kumiko nodded enthusiastically. Behind her the first bell was tolling. "I should let you go…"

She continued to nod, though with much less enthusiasm. "I'll see you… tonight?" She nodded and awkwardly they bowed to each other. Unsure of what to do next, they both parted, their movements distinctly uncoordinated.

A few of the other teachers were making their way toward the gate and couldn't help but notice their strange behavior. Baba and Wanibuchi both looked very jealous in their direction, both for decidedly different reasons. "Oh… Yamaguchi!" They called out in unison, jogging up to her.

Kumiko looked over, still bright red. Wanibuchi was appalled. "Did… did he just say he was going to see you tonight?" Both teachers looked very intently at Kumiko, who rotated slightly on her heels.

"..Yes." Not wanting to talk anymore of it, Kumiko glanced up at the clock. "Oh my goodness, we are going to be late if we don't hurry!" She broke into a full-fledged sprint, leaving the two behind to chase after her, both yelling protests and questions.

Once inside the building, Kumiko dodged into the faculty room. A few of the teachers glanced up as she arrived, hearing voices yelling in the hallway. She hurried to her desk, sat down, and buried herself in her book, checking over papers she'd graded 3 weeks ago.

"Yamaguchi!" They both burst through the door. All the teachers looked up, and sheepishly they lowered their voices, Sawatari looking quite displeased with all the behavior in general.

"Has your behavior become infectious now Yamaguchi?" He glared through her glasses at her. Another sheepish grin, and Kumiko tried a bit harder to hide in her work. "I expect better out of you at least Wanibuchi."

The few remaining teachers arrived, and all delved into their work, though Kumiko could distinctly feel three sets of eyes on her. A half an hour passed before Sawatari brought everyone to attention to go over the coming weeks. The huge board detailing all the graduating students was being filled in. Nearly all the students were going onto universities or good jobs, but the 3-D category was still largely empty. Baba kept his eyes from Sawatari, the board, and everybody else in the room.

"Another successful year with soon be coming to a close everyone. The graduation announcements go out at the end of this month, and we must be diligent in our guiding of those children who will be successful." In another futile attempt to ignore Kumiko, he avoided adding any negative comments about 3-D, although they were clearly implied.

Still infatuated with this new event with Shinohara, Kumiko hardly heard Sawatari, and stood gazing off into space. The Ape looked right at her, and puzzled. Whatever the reason, Sawatari decided to do nothing again. Yamaaguchi was keeping quiet and that was the best thing possible. He finished his speech, and dismissed the teachers to their classes, proud of another inspiring morning.

He returned to his desk, preparing his own lesson plan. A shadow moved over his papers, and he looked up to see an eager Kumiko. "When can I plan a field trip?" Her eyes sparkled just a bit.

Sawatari felt his stomach turn, and he searched his desk for his medication. "You can't Yamaguchi, now please go to your class room." His face was clearly worn, but also sure.

Another puff and Yamaguchi picked up her books and moved along. At least he was wearing down a bit. Kumiko did a little skip on the way to 1-D's hallway. Her level of joy was impossible to crush. The familiar sound of her students floated down the hallway, and she moved in time with their lulls and spikes. She slid the door open to a slightly jumbled classroom, but was pleased to see most of the seats filled.

All but three students were present, and that was a fine start to any morning. With 5 more minutes until the start of homeroom, Kumiko felt a day of perfect attendance coming on. She entered quietly and sat down on her desk, looking out at her wonderful students and taking note of who was gone. Kiyoru… Osugi… and Kimoto. The best of friends. Those who leave together arrive together. The minutes passed, and as the bell rang Kumiko sank just slightly. Sometimes the boys who are together do not arrive at all.

"Good morning everyone!" She called at the top of her voice, drawing her students attention in. "We are approaching the end to the semester, and though I still want to take you to other schools in Tokyo, in seems like it won't happen this semester. Next year we will go on our first trip, and I want all of you to think of the place that would make you the most happy to visit and report back to me next year. I will keep the papers you gave me last year." No one was paying full attention. "Does anyone know where our three missing students are?"

Everyone looked around and one of the other boys Kiyoru was often with piped up. "Oh… yeah… Kiyoru said to tell you they were at the police station. Osugi got picked up for shop lifting this morning. Or maybe he said not to tell you. I don't remember anymore."

Another student looked over at him. "You remember things about as well as a dog, Inoue!" They looked at each other and growled.

"ENOUGH!" Kumiko looked at the two of them. "Don't insult your classmate Hayase, and don't growl at people Inoue." She looked at the clock and realized she had no choice but to go get the boys. "I expect you all to be here when your first teacher arrives." Kumiko grabbed her phone, vaulted over her desk, and out the door.

Running down the hall, she dialed Kiyoru's number, hoping he would answer. The best guess she had as to their current location was the nearest police station, but there was no way to know. They each came from a different neighborhood. Disappointingly, it went straight to voice mail. Flustered, but in no way surprised, Kumiko got an extra burst of speed. The station was nearly a mile away, but she could cover that quickly enough. It was the prospect of the students being farther away than that.

A few people glared as she went running by, and she nearly tripped on a curb less than a block from the police station, but all in all the sprint went smoothly. She straightened her hair a bit, brushed her jacket off, and waltzed into the lobby. It seemed quiet this morning. She strolled up to the desk, waiting behind a small Japanese man asking about a stolen music box. The clerk looked slightly worn, and told him for what looked like a hundredth time that their was nothing the department could do. They had filed his complaint; they had searched for the described culprit, and had found no music box anywhere. They would keep watch, but there were more pressing cases. The man sighed heavily and turned away, dragging his legs out the door.

"Can I help you? Oh… Hello Yamaguchi. What can I do for you?" After a year and a half of Kumiko appearing in their station, it had become a name basis with everyone.

"Yes, I hope. Was a boy named Osugi Tetsumi picked up and brought here this morning? And are two other boys named Kiyoru Hisao, and Kimoto Tomohisa with him?" The clerk set to looking through her files.

After a few minutes, the woman looked up at Kumiko. "I don't see anything, but I just got in. I'll go look in the holding cell for you, but I don't think they're here."

"Thank you Aikawa." The girl nodded, and walked back through the station. A few of the officers waved to Kumiko, who cordially waved back. After a minute, she realized it might be wise to call the other stations before she went on a wild goose chase. Turning toward the bulletin, she noted a long list of stations. Her phone came out, but before she could start dialing, Aikawa returned, a familiar face walking beside her.

"I found him sitting on a bench. Kimoto is on the phone with Osugi's parents." Kumiko walked up to the counter, relieved to see Kiyoru. She pushed open the gate, letting Kiyoru out into the lobby. "They should be in school, but they're refusing to leave. If they refuse any more they're just going to end up breaking the law."

Kiyoru looked at Yankumi and remained expressionless. "What's going on Kiyoru? Why are you three at a police station?" She had a vague idea of course, but it was always best to hear it from the source.

"It's bull Yankumi. We were just walking around this morning and the police start harassing us. Someone who looks like Osugi has been stealing stuff from the stores around here, never mind that we are always with him, and he doesn't have any of the stuff that was supposed to have been stolen. They want to search his house and everything." Kiyoru tapped the ground with his foot. Kumiko could tell he was in desperate need of some time outside the station.

"Well, I know you want to take care of Osugi, but it's more important for you to be in school right now." Kiyoru shot a particularly fervent look at Yankumi. Not quite paying attention, the look went unanswered, and Kumiko approached the counter again. "Aikawa, Kiyoru and Kimoto aren't being charged with anything correct?" The woman nodded. "So I could take them with me back to school?" The women nodded again.

"If we are willing to go with you Yankumi." Kiyoru's arms were crossed across his chest, and his feet seemed planted to the linoleum.

She glanced back at him. "Okay, Kiyoru. Let's talk about this for a minute." Kumiko took a few strides and stood beside him. "Right now, you are sitting with your friends, about to make the police men charge you with trespassing. They haven't because you are already in the police station, and you're kids. Despite what you might think, the police don't WANT to get you in trouble. Osugi can't do anything until his name is clear, you can't clear it for him, neither can Kimoto, and all three of you are missing another day of school and the end of the year is coming." She took a long and deep breath, making sure to make eye contact with him. "You need to go back to school, at least there you can do something with your day that's good for you. Here, you're just going to wind up in jail." Kumiko laughed inside about the irony.

Kiyoru remained silent for a few minutes. There were a lot of good points in her argument, but it was completely unjustifiable to leave Osugi to the police. "What about all that 'friends are so important' crap Yankumi? We're supposed to leave a great friend here?"

"You aren't leaving him here. I will make sure his name is clear, but the exchange for saving you two from criminal charges is going to school. You need to be there more than here." He certainly was determined, but his resolve seemed to be swaying a bit. Kimoto emerged from the back hallway, looking out toward the two.

"Hey! Kiyoru! Osugi's parents are on their way." Kiyoru nodded, and pointed toward Yankumi. "Hi Yankumi." He trotted over to the gate, and waited for Aikawa to open it. "Are you going to help Osugi?"

"I'll do what I can Kimoto. But will you two please go to school? There's nothing you can do." Kimoto shrugged. "And his parents are on their way. How about this… you can wait until they get here, and after that, you have to go to the school."

Kimoto and Kiyoru looked at each other. Kimoto wasn't really against the idea of going, and he knew they couldn't do anything but give Osugi some company. Kiyoru was realizing that Yankumi might be right. That was starting to make him crazy. She had to be wrong sometimes. He just knew it. But this wasn't the time. "Fine Yankumi. We'll go back to school when his parents get here."

A great sense of relief sunk into Kumiko. The minutes dragged by as the three waited, Kiyoru still kicking the ground with awkward anger. Kimoto leaned on the wall closest the door, and Kumiko spoke with Aikawa. She needed to know how to clear Osugi's name, so maybe she could help his parents understand it a bit better when they arrived.

After half an hour, his father came barreling through the door, mother shortly behind. "Where is our son?" The man roared. Aikawa was taken slightly surprised, hand hovering over her club. Kumiko noticed her hand, and dodged in front of Osugi Toshi.

"Please Osugi, calm down. Your son is in the back, and I'm sure they would be happy to let you see him." His face was bright red. Slowly, his wife reached out and touched his back. Toshi took a deep breath, let a bit of the color fade, and turned toward a cautious Aikawa.

"I would like to see my son." The woman nodded once to him, and took them inside the office. As they disappeared into the back hallway, Kumiko turned to the boys.

"It's time for you two to go." Kiyoru looked about ready to vault the counter and go running after Toshi. Kumiko drew the doors open for them, hoping she wouldn't have to pull them along.

After a minute, Kiyoru turned and followed Yankumi out. "You had better make sure Osugi is fine Yankumi."

She nodded. "It'll be okay Kiyoru. Get to school and tell Inuzaka what's going on. I'll be back at the school soon." They looked back through the doors, but at long last Kiyoru and Kimoto departed for the school. Kumiko returned inside and waited for the family to re-emerge.

An hour later, his father and mother were sitting beside Kumiko in their home. The police had issued a search warrant, and were now combing through Osugi's room for any trace of the stolen items. Kumiko couldn't lie, the picture that showed the thief looked very much like Osugi, but her student couldn't do such a thing.

His mother had tears streaming down her face, and his father still looked ready to pop. They had been kind enough to offer Kumiko something to drink and eat, but she had declined, so they sat in silence while two men searched the very small room. Within a half hour they had realized there was no merchandise, though Kumiko could tell they still thought Osugi was responsible.

It didn't take long to return to the police station. Osugi sat in the holding cell, biding his time quietly. When they arrived, the police still seemed very hesitant to release the innocent boy. Aikawa watched from the office as the officers and a detective talked with Osugi's parents.

"How long can they hold them on suspicion when they already searched the house Aikawa?" Yamaguchi leaned on the counter. Aikawa furrowed her eyebrows.

"That's tough to answer. Thievery is such a stigma, and we can keep anyone as long as deemed necessary, but he has no prior offence. I really don't know Yamaguchi." Osugi's parents walked up beside Kumiko, the two officers heading into the back.

"They are going to let him go, but they'll be keeping an eye on him…" Osugi Fujiko held her hands together, looking slightly relieved. "Thank you so much Yamaguchi. We want to repay your kindness to Osugi. Please join us for dinner?"

The officers appeared from the back Osugi strung between the two. Kumiko smiled at Osugi and then at his parents. The potentially terrible events had turned out far better than expected. The awkwardness of trying to say no was a hurdle she didn't want to jump. "I would love too… if it would be alright tomorrow?" They nodded.

"We are going to take Osugi home for today, but he'll be back tomorrow." She put her hands on his shoulders, his father looking on from the door. "Again, thank you Yamaguchi."

Together they stepped outside, Tetsumi grinning goofily at her through the window. He waved and the family disappeared down the street. Kumiko puffed a sigh of deep relief. What could have been a horrifically bad morning was returning to something like how it started. "I swear Aikawa, I see too much of this place."

Aikawa laughed, waving to Yamaguchi. "Maybe you'll get a break soon." Kumiko shrugged her shoulders and strode through the door. It had been almost three hours since school started. Her phone had rung at least 7 times during the ordeal. Realizing she desperately needed to return to school Kumiko took off running again, flipping through the missed calls and listening to her messages.

Most of them were from Kiyoru, but two were Sawatari calling to yell at her for missing class again without telling them to get a substitute. He even threatened to start having one everyday, a fee that would be taken out of her salary. It was during a moment that she was looking down at her phone that Kumiko found herself flying through the air, and landing heavily on the ground. The world went fuzzy around her, and then dimmed to black.


	12. It Could Have Been Worse

The world had very fuzzy edges. The sky was white, and seemed to be glowing very strangely. There were a few dull aches, and there was a deep ache in her head. She started to prop herself up and found she really didn't want to move.

"Glad to see you're okay." His voice sounded worn. Kumiko looked around, trying to identify the source. Shapes were still very fuzzy, but the more she tried to focus the better it became. She was lying in a bed, and the room was white. It was becoming very clear where she was. There was an IV sticking in her arm, and she could see a huge bruise right next to it.

With a little more effort, and ignoring the pain, she shifted up in the bed, looking around with a better angle. She finally glanced at the figure seated next to her bed. "Sawada… what are you doing here? What happened to me?"

He leaned forward from the chair, and set his mini soda on a side table. "Well, you were hit by a car K..Yankumi. You seem fine, but you have a pretty bad concussion, and they needed to make sure there was no permanent damage. You were unconscious for about 7 hours. I'm here because your grandfather called me. He stepped out a half hour ago to talk to the doctor." He laced his fingers and rested his arms on his knees, looking at Kumiko with a bit of concern. Kumiko took a second to process what Sawada had said. She then looked at her arms, and began touching her face, making sure everything seemed in place. Sawada laughed at her. "I'm gonna go get your grandfather." She nodded, and started shifting around a little more, making sure there really was nothing seriously wrong.

The concussion explained why her head was swimming. Sawada opened the door quietly and slipped out, leaving her alone. She gently rubbed her head, considering what she knew about concussions. A few minutes passed, and she could feel her eyes blur a little bit, but otherwise she felt all right. In an attempt to figure out whether or not she was confused, she went through a mental inventory of information. It all seemed clear, but then Kumiko thought that she wouldn't be able to tell if it wasn't. As she was descending into contemplation about fact and meaning, the door opened, and a doctor came in, followed by her grandfather who quickly closed the door behind them. She could hear a commotion behind the door. "I'm glad you're awake." Her grandfather smiled at her sitting down in the chair Sawada had vacated and patted her shoulder.

The doctor smiled at Kumiko. "Good to see you awake. My name is Mori Kaneda. You have a level 3 concussion, but otherwise you got out of being hit by a car fairly well. Can you tell me your name?"

Kumiko looked at him, slightly puzzled. "Yamaguchi Kumiko."

The doctor smiled. "Yes, and do you remember what kind of concussion you had?" Kumiko looked at him flatly and held up the number 3. "And who is the man next to you."

"My grandfather. Why are you asking me so many easy questions?" Kumiko thought it was pretty clear she wasn't confused.

Again, the doctor smiled. "Well, largely because we have to make sure you are lucid. That'll be the end of the easy questions. Just tell me how you are feeling, and what you remember." He pulled over one of the other chairs, and sat on the opposite side of the bed.

"Well… my eyes have been blurring a little bit, but other than that I feel okay. My head obviously hurts." Kumiko took a second to think about the past ten minutes, and then tried to remember before she woke up. The unconsciousness felt like a drain on her sense of time. "I remember waking up, and seeing Sawada. I'm trying to find something before that." The darkness slipped away, but everything was still blurred. Deciding to take another path, she recounted the day. Breakfast, riding the bus… Shinohara. Hey eyes went wide and she nearly leaped out of the bed. "Oh my god what time is it?!"

Both the Mori and Kuroda looked extremely alarmed. Her grandfather rushed forward to stop her from moving too quickly. He pushed her shoulders back towards the bed. The doctor was surprised how strong her forward momentum was; she had nearly knocked her grandfather over. "Please Yamaguchi, do not make any sudden movements, it could cause you to loose consciousness again!" He blurted out. Kumiko did indeed feel her head whirling, and fell backward again, eyes fluttering. The doctor was partially relieved, but immediately started tapping her cheek, making sure she stayed awake. Kuroda held her hand, giving it the occasional squeeze.

She focused her eyes again, and realized it would be a very bad idea to do the same thing again. After regaining her composure, the question burst out. "What time is it?"

"It's a little after 8." He answered quickly in the hopes of stopping her from lurching forward again.

Rather she collapsed back onto the bed, feeling very much defeated. "Is it really?" He nodded.

Cautiously, Mori sat back down still ready to lunge forward if necessary. "Is everything all right?" His eyebrows were raised. She nodded after a minute, still looking defeated. "Do you remember what happened?"

"Not yet. Give me a minute." After Shinohara… asked her on a date… that she had missed. Kumiko severely wanted to pout, but her grandfather would not approve. After Shinohara, there was school, then dealing with Osugi. That seemed pretty close to the last of her memories. "I remember I was walking out of the police station. I was running and listening to messages on my phone. I remember feeling like I got hit very hard, and it goes dark there." Kumiko squinted a little trying to see through her eyes again, but it was gone.

"That seems like a pretty complete recollection." He scribbled a bit on his clipboard. "And you say your eyes blur occasionally?" She nodded again. He continued writing, and eventually looked back up. "Okay Yamaguchi, I think we are safe to release you. I'm prescribing you a medicine to help any headaches, but we can't do much for the vision. It should clear up in a few hours. If it doesn't please come back." Mori stood up, and patted her shoulder. "You are quite strong Yamaguchi."

She nodded and thanked him, partially denying her strength. Kuroda smiled and squeezed her hand. "Please don't do anything like that again Kumiko. There are about a hundred people in the hallway right now." The doctor was letting himself out, and she could see a bunch of people moving right beside the door. Her grandfather reached out and smoothed her hair. "You gave me a heart attack Kumiko." Her focus on missing the date completely drained away. There was a hidden sorrow in his eyes.

She held his hand, and dropped her head slightly. He never really talked about her mother, but she knew he missed her even though they had hardly seen each other for many years before she died. "I'm sorry granddad." He smiled at her, and shook his head.

Outside, the buzz was getting louder, and finally, Kuroda got up to let the men in. Tetsu and Minoru were the first through, followed by many other henchmen; her grandfather's first and second in command, and two of her old students. They gathered around her, asking questions, trying to hug her, and pushing each other. Kuroda slapped the table with his hand, and everyone came into line. Kumiko was relieved to not have everyone crowding around her. "I know Kumiko is happy everyone cares about her, but don't act like animals." His voice has subtle and firm. A nurse poked her head into the room. She was carrying another clipboard and a bottle of medicine. "Okay everyone, you've gotten the chance to see her, but now my granddaughter needs to be discharged, so why don't you all head home." The henchmen bowed and filed out as swiftly as they had arrived.

Kumiko looked up at those remaining in the room. Odagiri had sat down in the chair the doctor had vacated. "How are you feeling?"

"Considering I was hit by a car, pretty well." He nodded. "Thank you for coming by to see me Odagiri."

To that he smiled. "Of course Yankumi, gotta make sure you're okay." He leaned forward and patted her arm. "If you need any help later Yankumi, let me know, but I've gotta go. Date tonight. Besides it looks like you're getting ready to go." His head moved in the direction of the nurse who was finished with her grandfather. Kumiko felt a particular twang of jealousy towards Odagiri, lucky guy with a date. Kumiko had a date. Then a car hit her. "See you Kumiko." He waved to her, and headed toward the door, passing by Sawada. "Good to see you again Sawada." It was a quick hello as he passed by. Shin nodded as Odagiri stepped through the door.

The nurse approached Kumiko, handing her the bottle of medicine and going over the papers she needed to be discharged. Kuroda had left the room, taking along copies of a few papers, including a list of symptoms. Leaning against the wall beside the door, Sawada remained silent, looking at the bruises on Kumiko's arm and considering hunting down whoever hit her. It seemed unlikely he would find them though. In his silence, the two women had almost forgotten he was there. As the nurse finished the last sheet, she turned around and was startled by the figure on the wall.

"Can I help you?" She approached, trying to remember if she had noticed him earlier.

Kumiko looked up from the papers she was reading. It was taking a fair bit of squinting to make out half the words. "Oh don't worry, that's a… well he was a student of mine. He's fine to stay, as long as it's not illegal or anything." The nurse looked at her and laughed.

"I'm pretty sure even if it was, your grandfather would make it alright Yamaguchi." The woman nodded to Sawada and passed back through the door. Making her way through the last of the pages, Kumiko was finding it harder and harder to finish. Sawada had returned to the chair he was in when she woke up, finishing his soda, and casually observing the ceiling. "Why are you still here Sawada?" Kumiko decided taking a break might be a good idea. She closed her eyes and rested her head back on the pillow.

"Your grandfather asked me to stay if you needed something." Not to mention that he wanted to.

Kumiko furrowed her eyebrows. It seemed more likely to have asked Tetsu or Minoru to stay behind. After all they acted like her personal servants half the time. However Kumiko didn't pretend to understand all the things her grandfather decided. He had his reasons, of that she was sure. Opening her eyes up, the world was made of assorted color smears, and she realized there was no way she could finish the papers. "Sawada, would you do me a favor?" Sawada looked at her, waiting for the request. "Read me these last two pages?"

He nodded and took the pages from her bedside. Speaking in clear voice, he breezed from beginning to end of the two sheets, cutting through the medical terminology, and pausing occasionally to make sure Kumiko understood everything. After finishing, he returned the sheets to her bedside, and Kumiko looked over at him. He was a blob of dark hair and light skin. She used different levels of squinting, trying to make sense of his face. Shin raised an eyebrow, but said nothing, letting her do whatever she was doing.

"You know, it's the strangest thing having blurry vision. I kind of want to watch cartoons on a big screen TV right now." Kumiko laughed, and closed her eyes again. "You know what else… I had a date tonight, and I am missing it because I got hit by a car." She sighed heavily. Shinohara probably didn't even know what happened to her. Sawada remained silent, grimacing slightly at the prospect. "One more favor for me Sawada? Can you find my cell phone?"

"Nope." He really didn't feel like playing party to her need to talk to this… date. Whoever he was. "I should actually go Yankumi." He bowed slightly to her, picking up the empty soda can, and disappeared from the room.

"…Okay… Bye Sawada!" She called after him, slightly alarmed at how quickly he vanished. "Strange guy…" she whispered to herself. Outside, Sawada was marching down the hallway. Kuroda watched him pass, giving him a slight wave.

Sawada returned it, but did not stop, preferring to get out as quickly as possible.

The hospital was not exactly his favorite place in the world, and he actually had things to do. He had planned on moving from Kuma's to Uchi's today. After having spent six hours making sure Kumiko was all right, it seemed less appealing to uproot. He took the elevator down and after a short walk, was at the subway station headed back to Kuma's.

Kumiko waited for the nurse to appear with clothes, and hopefully her phone. Without anyone nearby she realized how lonely a hospital room could be. She found herself wishing that her grandfather was still nearby, or that Sawada hadn't left. Taking another deep breath, she started to push herself out of bed, coaxing her soreness away.

She draped her legs over the edge of the bed and suddenly noticed that the room was very cold. She tried to pull the blankets over her again, but was left with cold feet. The nurse returned to the room a few minutes later, carrying the bag of Kumiko's belongings. She rooted through it, looking for her cell phone. Upon finding it, she was distressed to see that the screen was broken, and the battery was missing. She audibly groaned and then forced herself up and into the bathroom. Getting dressed was like being 3 again, no coordination and balance. After falling down putting on her pants, she sat down and took the easier route for dressing.

Outside her grandfather was patiently waiting. Together they walked to the hospital's entrance, Kumiko noticing how the blobs of color were particularly nondescript in the hallways. Outside was a black sedan waited for the two. Her grandfather's driver nodded to Kumiko as she got in, and they drove off with no more exciting incidents. Looking over her phone, Kumiko frowned and declared that the day was the worst it could've been without her dying.


	13. Brothers and Sisters

He took a few minutes to observe the room. It was a bit loud outside, Uchi running around getting ready. He was doing well in his architecture schooling and was working full time at a design firm. Sawada wasn't quite sure how he managed it, but the Uchi of high school had really dedicated himself to his profession. He took a slow breath and put his bag beside the mat Uchi had set aside for him. Uchi's place was a little nicer than Kuma's, larger living area, a storage room, and a higher-level floor. Sawada still felt like he was imposing. After staying at Kuma's for nearly a month and a half, he knew it was time to move.

He was also beginning to feel like a temporary position would be a wise idea until he was in school. He was surviving on the money he had made, but was starting to run out. The first entrance exam he had taken was only a prerequisite and fail safe. Keio had its own individual exam in a few weeks, and it would turn fairly pointless if he didn't have enough money to take it. He looked out the window and thought briefly about the day. He was going to have a few hours to himself. Uchi was just about ready to leave, and though he planned to see Natsumi in the afternoon, he had no other plans.

"Sawada?" Uchi knocked on the door. Sawada slid open the door. Uchi looked like a true salary man. "Could you do me a favor and clean up the house a little bit?" He asked extremely politely. "I have some company coming over today and I completely forgot."

Sawada shrugged his shoulders and nodded. Even though Uchi was managing his life fairly well his house still looked like a wreck most of the time. "What should I do with stuff I don't know what to do with?"

Uchi was in the entryway putting on his shoes already. He paused. Looking thoughtfully into the air. "I guess just put it in my room. No one should need to go in there tonight."

Must be a business meeting. Sawada waved as Uchi went dashing out the door. He took a few minutes to look around the living area. It was littered with papers, a few dishes, and a surprising amount of clothes. He had planned on helping him, it was the least he could do since he was occupying a room.

He gathered up all the papers, whatever they were, and stacked them on the counter in his kitchen. There were a lot of architectural plans that he set aside for Uchi, just in case. The trash he collected into the wastebasket before he tackled the clothes scattered about. After a good half hour of tidying up, Uchi's apartment looked almost as neat as he had kept his in high school. He finished putting away the last book from the table, and looked around at his job.

It looked presentable for Uchi, and Sawada retreated to his room. Uchi had put a few things in there for him. In truth, he was surprised how kind everyone was being to him. He sat down on his mat, opening up his backpack. From inside he pulled out his journal. Most of the pages had been filled. Instead of taking his pen out, he looked through the pages again. Ever since he got back, the entries were mostly about the people he hadn't seen in 4 years. Most of his high school friends had stopped by at one point or another to say hi. They were helping Kuma to support him. No one had said anything, but that was the only way Kuma could've afforded it. And he could guess that the same thing would happen here at Uchi's. Maybe that just meant he needed to get on his feet sooner. Sawada had been on his own for 7 years, he really didn't know how to feel about others supporting him. But he couldn't lie, there was a strange sense of appreciation for the extent they went to hide it from him. He wouldn't accept if they offered forwardly.

Maybe that was more of a reason than any other to get a job. He lay down, resting his head off the pillow. The old him would have jumped ship the moment he figured out others were providing like that for him. Maybe that was something Kumiko had changed. It wasn't so bad to depend on friends sometimes. He rolled over and stared at the wall. It was shortly before noon, and his sister finished class at 2. After a few minutes he decided it was a good idea to go. He wasn't completely sure how long it would take to get there, but noon traffic in Tokyo wasn't exactly smooth sailing. Pushing himself back up, he pulled on a clean shirt, the sweatshirt Kuma had given him, tried to fix his hair, and grabbed his wallet. He had gotten used to leaving his backpack behind.

The trains seemed less crowded today, although that was entirely relative since he still had to be shoved inside the car. It amazed Sawada how no one seemed to look at anyone else. He had fallen back into the habit as well. Directly in front of him was a man with short hair in a suit. But Sawada wouldn't remember that as soon as he got off the train. There were more important things to think about.

His stop involved a subway change, and a bus ride. He paid close attention to the stops as they went by, trying not to get pushed far from the doors by other passengers. It was something of an obstacle course to get off on the correct stop if one wound up halfway between the doors. His first stop approached, and the crowd of people seemed to part perfectly for him to squeeze out easily. The rest of his journey was about as easy.

As he stepped of the bus, he glanced up at the skyscraper that housed the main schools. His sister's dorm was about a few blocks away. He checked the time and was happy to find it was very close to the end of his sisters' classes. She had told him to wait outside her dorm so he wandered slowly in that direction. It was not quite freezing, but he was fine with just the sweatshirt. Overall he had acclimated back into the Japanese way, and that included regulating body temperature.

Leaning against the wall beside the entrance to the woman's dorm earned him quite a few stares of curiosity, interest, and fear. He paid attention to none of them. From the sidewalk he heard Natsumi call his name, and looked in the direction, smiling. She trotted up and smiled at him.

"Hello older brother!" She referred to him politely; nudging him as a few girls went by, eying her jealously. He pulled the door open for her, the wide atrium spread in front of them. "I'm glad you came Shin!"

He slipped in after her and nodded. "It's good to see you too Natsumi. I hope you don't mind that I don't visit often. I guess that's not really new though." It was a rarity to see her in high school, and then came Africa.

"Of course I do. But you're right, that's not really new." She nudged him again. Natsumi was always happy to see her brother, but she didn't expect it more than once every few months. She swiped her dorm card and pushed open the door into the stairwell. Her room was on the third floor and they chatted casually on the way up the stairs. Sawada was alarmed by how many girls they passed that knew Natsumi by name. She said hi to every one of them as they passed. Rounding the last flight, Natsumi hopped up the last stair, and pushed the door open for her floor. Her dorm was at the end of the hall. She slid her card again and at last he has in her dorm. She set her backpack on her desk, and flopped down on her very neatly made bed.

He occupied her desk chair, and looked at her very neatly organized desk. They had inherited some very similar characteristics despite the length of time they had lived together. A picture of Akio was sitting on the desk in a little heart frame. He smiled at that. "You know, he's a good kid." He gestured in the frames general direction.

Pushing herself up, she looked at him and nodded. "I heard he saw you. I don't even know why he took that preliminary exam. He's practically guaranteed entrance to Waseda." She took a short breath, thinking about what Akio had told her about the day. "I wanted to tell you about him before you met him. If I had known you would be there taking the test too, I probably would have stopped him from going."

"Of all the test centers in all of Tokyo he had to walk into mine." He smiled at her, joking a little bit. "It was divine fate little sister."

She wrinkled her nose at him, pretending to glare. "I guess it's okay since it

went well though. I think how you reacted is better than how Dad reacted. He approves though. It is Waseda after all. Majoring in political science, eyes to be a senator. It's like he's taking the place you would've been in." Sawada circled slowly in the desk chair.

"Good for him, he can be the son Dad always wanted." Shin rolled his eyes and slumped farther back into the chair.

Natsumi's eyes softened a little bit. She knew her brother had to care somewhere about how their father felt. "I don't really mean that Shin."

"Trust me Natsumi, he can have that spot. I don't want it." His eyes were hard as stone. "There are more important things to me than his acceptance. Let's talk about something other than our father."

Natsumi nodded. "Although there is one other thing I wanted to say. Akio was serious about your opinion being more important than Dad's. I kinda made it clear to him that you were more protective of me than Dad."

"That's right, and you better make sure he knows he'll have hell to pay if he does anything to you." She nodded again, smiling a little bit. "How are classes?"

Natsumi sighed heavily, lying back down on her bed. "They're fine, there's just a lot to do. All of my projects and papers are due this month, and then comes finals." Ah, the joys of school. Sawada wasn't sure if he was looking forward to it. "How did you do on the preliminary?"

"Pretty well actually. It took me a few days to find out since Kuma doesn't have Internet, but I can get into a state school if I have to." Maybe it wasn't so important to get into Keio again. Just getting into school seemed good enough.

"When is your test for Keio?"

"Next month. I have three weeks until then." The first time around he had felt pretty carefree about it, but then, the first time it really hadn't mattered to him if he was accepted or not. It mattered this time, and there were butterflies hatching in his stomach.

"You passed it the first time with flying colors. I'm sure you will this time too. After all, now you're a well-developed person. They ought to just love you Shin."

He shrugged his shoulders. "Shouldn't you be getting to work Natsumi? Don't you have projects to finish?"

She pouted a little bit. "You're right, but there's something more important I have to ask you first Shin." He looked up at her, raising his eyebrow. She took a deep breath. "Tonight, Akio is taking me to dinner. I asked you to come over today because he's taking me to meet his family. I don't want to bring Mom and Dad, and I don't even think they would come, but I would like if you would go. Would you go Shin? I don't want his family to think I'm alone."

Sawada looked at the wall for a few minutes, thinking about her request. "Yeah, I can go with you Natsumi." He responded finally, not sure if he was pleased at the prospect. "How many people are going exactly?" He didn't really want to be overwhelmed by family.

"Oh thank you so much Shin!" Natsumi leaped off the bed and wrapped her arms around her brother. "It means so much to have you meet them." After satisfying her need to squish her brother, she sat back down on the bed, thinking about whom Akio had mentioned. "Lets see… Akio mentioned his mom, dad, his uncle, and I guess his uncle is bringing a date."

"So there will be seven of us?" That didn't seem too bad. "Why is his uncle coming?"

"He wanted to meet me…" In a much smaller voice she added a little to the sentence. "And you…" Sawada shook his head. "He told his family about you, and they all wanted to meet you. I guess they're really close actually. His aunts and uncles are like extra parents. It's almost kinda weird." Neither of their parents had any siblings; and their parents were hardly that.

"I'll go Natsumi, but I can't afford it, and I don't have anything else to wear." He stood up, showing his… unique… attire. "It might be a good idea to go alone, it'll seem strange either way."

Natsumi looked him over. "Well, it'll just have to do, and dinner is on them. I don't want to go alone… I haven't met his family yet, and I don't think I could do it without a little support." She tucked her hands under her legs, and how nervous she was became very evident.

"You're really serious about him aren't you?" She nodded. "Wow. Well I guess I'm happy for you Natsumi." He sat down beside her, patting her shoulder. "How about this, I don't have anything, but Uchi might be able to help me out. When is dinner?"

Her eyes lit up. "Really? They wanted to meet me around 6:30."

"I can get back to the apartment and get back here?" He glanced at the clock on her wall. It was approaching 3. "It'll be pushing it though."

Natsumi thought about it for a minute. "Maybe you can meet us there? It's closer to downtown than here, and that way you don't have to rush TOO much."

"Alright, Natsumi. When I am ready I will call you from Uchi's and you can tell me where to go." He stood up, getting ready to run for the next two hours.

She stood up, and hugged her brother tightly again. "Thank you so much Shin." There wasn't much more she could say. He smiled at her, ruffling her hair a little bit.


	14. Especially Small

Shin tried to adjust the tie a little bit. Uchi's clothes fit okay, but he really didn't feel very comfortable. He pushed open the door to the restaurant and glanced around. It was a little early, but he guessed they would already be seated. He walked up to the host, and suddenly realized he didn't know what name the reservation would be under. He grabbed his phone and called Natsumi. He could hear her ring tone farther into the restaurant. Glancing toward it, he saw her waving from a booth by a window.

He counted heads on the way over and knew that he would not be the last to arrive. Natsumi stood up and smiled, while the Yoshida family slid out of the booth awkwardly. They went through introductions, bowing to one another, and Shin took up a seat next to Natsumi. There were a few glasses already filled with sake, and Shin guessed he would be expected to drink, there was a glass sitting filled in front of him. He took a sip out of respect, but was going to try a squeak by drinking as little as possible.

"So Sawada, your sister tells us that you are applying to Keio?" He nodded, guessing that until the uncle and date arrived, he would be the subject of discussion. "Why Keio?" The question they really wanted to ask was why Keio now, as opposed to when he graduated from high school.

Natsumi looked a bit concerned, not sure how her brother would react to being grilled. He gently nudged her with his elbow, trying to get her to relax. "Well, when I graduated from high school, I applied to Keio and was accepted. Instead of attending school I decided to go abroad and do what I could in sub-Saharan Africa and the Coast areas." He took a sip of sake, holding the small glass in both hands. "About 2 months ago a ticket became available that would get me back to Japan, so I took the offer. Since I wanted to attend Keio, I thought I would try again. I guess I just needed some time between high school and college."

He wasn't sure what to expect from the Yoshida family. He got the impression from Akio they would either be extremely impressed with his charity work in a foreign land, or they would resolve that he was abnormal, and therefore below them. "It sounds like your father should have been a diplomat if his son is so well traveled." Akio's Dad was the first to speak. Shin wasn't sure if it was a positive or negative response, but it indicated that they wanted to know where their parents were.

"I think father is too rigid to be a diplomat." Natsumi fielded the question. "He couldn't even miss a meeting to meet my boyfriends family." It wasn't quite a lie, but it wasn't quite the truth. Sawada Shotaro was indeed attending a meeting, but he would not meet their family unless it was because Natsumi was marrying Akio.

"Well I guess making sure the country is running smoothly is important." Jun Yoshida leaned back into the booth. His wife touched his arm, a hidden request to be kind.

"Well good luck on your entry exam Sawada!" Furrowing his eyebrows a little, Sawada studied the features of Akio's mother. She looked alarmingly familiar, but Shin could not place her face. "How are your classes going Natsumi?" They collectively shifted their attention.

"They're going well. I have a lot of work to do though." She thought of the project and stack of papers sitting on her desk in her dormitory. "With the end of the year approaching there have been a lot of things to do." The Yoshida's collectively nodded. Sawada could feel himself relaxing slowly. They chatted together for a few more minutes waiting on the remaining few.

From the corner of his eyes, Sawada noticed two people approaching the table, and Akio's face lit up. His father turned around and looked at the two, "Ahh, your brother is finally here Keiko."

Sawada was on the verge of shock. Kumiko had frozen in her tracks. They were staring at each other in confusion. Shinohara scooted in next to his sister, pushing the youngest couple together. It took a second before Shinohara noticed that Kumiko was staring blanking across the table. The two men's eyes met, and all movement stopped, either out of curiosity or a sort of horror.

All the dots were connecting. A date, Kumiko had mentioned, but she was not specific about a name, and Natsumi must not have known a name for Akio's uncle, or if she had, it was so farfetched she wouldn't have believed they were related. "How do you all know each other?" Yoshida's mom forced the question to the surface.

Shinohara shook the strange off. "Well…" The history between the three was not incredibly detailed, but was somewhat awkward. Kumiko worked with troubled teens, Shin had been one, and Shinohara had a habit of arresting them. "I know Sawada because of Yamaguchi, and she taught Sawada as a senior in high school." That explained most of it, while leaving a few of the unsavory details out.

"Bizarre how small of a world it is." Sawada's eyes rested on Shinohara. High school was years behind them, and Shinohara felt his stomach tingle. Squeezing the last of the space in the booth, Kumiko sat down, and felt a bit awkward to be looking across at Sawada. He gave her a small smile, before turning his focus to the family proper.

Who was sitting across the table couldn't matter to Sawada right now; Natsumi was meeting her boyfriend's family. The table settled into a rhythm of eating and chatter. The Yoshidas all seemed impressed with the Sawada siblings. Most of the conversation revolved around Natsumi and her studies, and Sawada and his time in Africa. Neither of them had an opinion on being the center of attention, but Sawada could feel Kumiko's eyes on him while he talked, and it felt like fire.

As dinner came to an end, Natsumi rested her head on Shin's shoulder, relaxing as Kumiko and Keiko ate dessert. Sawada was flawless at hiding the glances at Kumiko, and all but Natsumi were unaware. Once the plates were empty, and the conversation was on its last legs, they all scooted out of the booth. Akio's father cleared the path toward the cashier, and the end of a somewhat enjoyable dinner. They each bundled up, and strolled into the night. Tomoyo and Kumiko walked close to each other, talking in small voices. Sawada didn't know how much was jealousy, but he was feeling more and more awkward despite being incorporated into the Yoshida family. Keiko patted him on the shoulder, bringing him back into the world. "It was nice to meet this part of your family." Natsumi and he both bowed and returned the compliment.

The seven stood together, exchanging their various goodbyes, and commenting on school and work. Shin briefly asked how Kumiko was feeling; it was the only thing he had said to her since the shock had worn off earlier. After Akio gave Natsumi a quick peck on the cheek, they parted ways. Natsumi walked beside Shin, a smile hidden in her eyes.

They were mostly silent as they walked down the street, both thinking about the night. "Thank you for coming tonight, Shin." Natsumi wrapped her arm around her brother's shoulder. "I don't think I could have faced them alone."

He shook his head, "Don't worry, you know I'll always be around." He ruffled her hair, and they descended the stairs to the subway.

They were sitting before either of them spoke again. Natsumi had been thinking about the continuous stream of glances Sawada had sent Yamaguchi, she just wasn't sure of how it was best to ask. "Do you… like Yamaguchi?" She finally decided blunt was best.

Sawada rested his head back on the seat. He had hoped no one had noticed, but he knew his sister better than that. "Yeah. Pretty much have since the end of high school. Doesn't matter right now though." He shrugged, letting the idea settle.

"Why doesn't it matter?" Natsumi always had strong feels about ideals about love, friendship, and her brother. "That's like saying Akio doesn't matter."

"Calm down there little sister." He laughed, turning towards her. "You have something lucky there. It's completely different with Kumiko for me. She's about as dense as a block of oak." He knocked on the hard plastic of the seat to mimic the futility of the situation. "I have more important things to think about right now, like school."

Natsumi wrinkled her nose at him, but she could not deny his point. Yamaguchi was a determined and kind woman, but something could be right in front of her and she would never see it. "But what are you going to do?" Natsumi liked things to be proactive.

"Nothing. There's nothing to do except what I'm already doing." It was strange to know there wasn't anything to actively do. "If it's meant to be, the time will come." The subway slowed, having reached their destination. "But I don't want you to think about it Natsumi. Just focus on school." He pulled her up, and they departed the subway for her dormitory.

"That just seems…" Natsumi didn't know what word to use. He was right, he was always right, but if he was back in Japan, and the girl he wanted was right there, he should be fighting for it.

Before she could assemble the sentence, Shin finished it for her. "Apathetic?" She nodded. "Maybe, but I can't spend everyday trying to win her." He looked stoic as they covered the last few blocks to her dorm, and Natsumi realized why he had made the decision.

"Okay Shin. But you had better make what you do worth it." She climbed up the few stairs to her door before turning around. "I missed you while you were gone, so all that time had better be worth it too."

"I know Natsumi, and I'm sorry. But you're strong, and you're doing really well." He climbed up the stairs and gave her a tight hug. "I promise it will all be time well spent."

"That's quite a promise Shin." She returned the hug letting the time he had been away drift off. "But I believe you." They let go, and Shin gave her one good smile before nudging her towards the door.

"You have studies, and so do I." The siblings hugged one more time, before Natsumi pulled open the door to her residence hall. She waved until the door clicked, and Shin disappeared from her sight. As he strolled down the sidewalk, his phone alerted him to a text message. A little smiley face, and a few words of encouragement from his sister met his eyes.

* * *

I may or may not edit this later. I wanted there to be more interaction during dinner, I just couldn't write it to my satisfaction, and since it's been 'finished' for a week, it was time to post. It has been too long since I updated.


	15. Decisions

As always, sorry for the incredibly long wait on a chapter, I will be posting another soon, hopefully over spring break.

* * *

Sawada took a long breath as he stepped off the subway. It had been two weeks since he took the entrance exam for Keio, and the results were waiting a block away. He was not a man to be anxious, but he could feel a butterfly bouncing in his stomach. This time it mattered if he got into the university. The street was crowded, students passing back and forth toward the subway, mostly younger than he. He could see the red and white brick building in the distance. The acceptance board was close by.

He took the short way, cutting across the sidewalks and grassy patches. The boards were crowded, but people were passing by quickly. The names were organized by their radical and he found his about a third of the way down on the fourth board. His eyes went wide, and his breath caught for a second. He had pretended to have no expectations for the results, but his heart was rushing. He stepped back from the board, his space filling back up.

Students continued to cycle in front the board, but his feet seemed frozen to the ground. He was numb until his phone vibrated against his leg, Natsumi's name lighting up the screen. She had been pestering him to find out since the day before when the names were first posted. After the meeting with the Yoshida family, she had taken to sending him messages a few times a day. This message was a demand to know if he had been accepted or not. He glanced at the board again, wanting to make sure he had actually seen his name. He sent a single word: yes.

He had made it to the edge of campus when his phone rang. Natsumi sounded as excited as when he had come back. She desperately wanted to get together, but the end of the semester was imminent and she had tests to study for. In truth Shin didn't really want to do anything to celebrate. Getting in was only one of the hurdles.

After they finished talking he found himself wandering in a direction he was not familiar with. He had never spent much time in the area, and if this was going to be his school, he needed to find his places to hide. As he walked along the street his mind began wandering.

The idea of new chapter starting was intimidating. It was something he had never really admitted to himself before, but he was concerned about what would come and go. It was exhilarating to get back into Keio, but there was always a nagging feeling inside. Some small voice inside had hoped it would go away when he found out the results, but now it was almost screaming at him. Sawada could not abide lying to himself, and ignoring the voice was equivalent.

He could hear the faint sound of running water, and he let his feet go in that general direction. There was a small channel running toward the bay. It was a steep stone drop to the water, but there was grass and a few trees along the side. This seemed ideal, hidden from the street, and the sound reminded him of the riverside he used to lie beside in high school.

He pulled his journal out from his back pocket, and wrote a few lines. The voice had quieted slightly, so he kept delving in that direction. What had he lost and gained on the crossroads of his life? When he left his family after the fight in school, he had gained his freedom, something he had so desperately wanted. But with that freedom he had lost his sister and mother, both who suffered without him. When he left Japan for Africa he had gained understanding of what was really important in life, but had also sacrificed his friendships and Kumiko. Returning to Japan had meant the sacrifice of all his friendships in Africa. Why had he come back? His intentions were unclear even to himself.

The nagging inside was getting louder again, like there was something he was missing. Sawada never made a decision that he wasn't sure about, which meant he was sure about leaving, sure about Africa, and sure about returning. He let his mind go reaching for whatever he was missing.

Kumiko flashed in his mind, and he realized what he was really afraid of losing. When he came back to Japan she was just a passing memory, but she had been injected back into his life, and he didn't want to lose her again. But what would he really lose if she was gone? The thoughts were flying through this head, everything muddled and unclear.

All the layers were unraveling, and Sawada found that he could hardly keep up with what was inside him. Everything that she had taught him could be summed up in one sentence; it mattered what happened to friends. But amid all that, he could not see anything else she had left to teach.

The nagging inside was suddenly silent. He took a breath and repeated the thought again. Everything that Kumiko could teach him, he had already learned. If there was nothing left to learn then what could it be with Kumiko? It was nice to be around her, and they had a good friendship, but he didn't just want a friendship.

He took a few deep breaths before putting his journal away. He was tired of pouring over his worries. But he could feel it hanging over him; he stood up and threw a rock into the water. The splash resounded for a moment before disappearing into the noise of the city.

His phone had been vibrating against his leg since he sat down. Natsumi had spread the word and the messages were collecting. He started thumbing through, distracting his mind from the things he just realized. As he scrolled to another message, the phone started to ring, he didn't even have a chance to see who it was before it was answered.

The voice erupted, and he was very happy the phone wasn't next to his ear. He was unable to understand the words, but he knew the voice, and he took a deep breath before actually lifting the phone to his ear. She had somewhat lowered the volume, but it still wasn't pleasant. "Congratulations." Was the most common word, but she was rambling as fast as he had heard.

When she took a breath he interjected. "Thank you Yankumi, you're going to make my ear fall off." It was kind but firm.

"Oh… I'm sorry Sawada, I'm just so very happy for you." She crescendoed as the sentence ended. "Please come over for dinner so we can celebrate, everyone can come."

Sawada took a deep breath, that was a fine offer, but he didn't even want to celebrate, really, not to mention everything he had just gone over in his head. "Thank you so much, but I think it would be better if I just headed home today, I have a lot of things to do for the next few days."

Kumiko was not going to take no for an answer. She launched into a near tirade about how he had to celebrate and if he wasn't coming to her house, she was coming to his. Shin realized he should've known better, Kumiko was talented at getting what she wanted.

"Alright." Shin interrupted her mid sentence. "But I would really like it to be just me." That felt like a completely reasonable request, and hopefully Kumiko would bend her will just a bit.

She was silent for a minute, mulling over the option. "Are you sure you don't want to have a few people over with you?" Sawada's answer was firm. She fell quiet again. "Alright. But you have to promise me that you're going to have a big celebration, and that I can come."

Why was she so damned determined about everything. Sawada fumed to himself, but agreed to the stipulation. They hung up, and Sawada continued fuming. It was mid afternoon now, so there would be a few hours before she expected him, what to do from then until now was the question.

She had again managed to inject herself, and he felt it was something of a knife to his chest that she had decided to call him at that moment. He had just unraveled the essence of their friendship, and was at a loss on what to do. He wouldn't be able to say goodbye to her, she wouldn't let him, but this would have to be a goodbye dinner.

The city sounds enveloped him as he continued to wander, letting the sun go down slowly in the sky. There was no place that he wanted to go, and eventually he found a bench to just sit on. It was so childish that he couldn't tell her what was going on, but he knew how she would react, and there was no choice, this was his decision. He stretched his legs out, and stared up at the sky.


	16. Surprises

Kumiko flitted about her house, hanging small decorations, and preparing everything for Sawada's arrival. The entryway had a surprise balloon hanging in the rafters, which she intended to pop when he arrived. It was always wonderful when one of her students got into a university, and even if Sawada wasn't technically her student anymore, it still counted in her mind.

Her grandfather had advised against the balloon, but her mind couldn't be changed. He had said something about Sawada being an adult. After she set the last plate out for the dinner, she sat down by her grandfather. He was going over the paper, but some of his professional paperwork was lying beside him. He needed a break from the bombardment sometimes. "You are so headstrong Kumiko…just like your mother." He didn't look down from his paper, but Kumiko could feel his eyes.

"Isn't that why you loved both of us?" Kumiko retorted. Her grandfather smiled behind his paper, unable to deny her statement. She stacked his papers neatly, glancing over the business prospects. Even if she wasn't taking over the organization, she liked knowing her grandfather was successful. Most of the paperwork looked favorable.

She generally avoided specifics about the business, but since she had rescued Aiko, she paid attention to how well the Toua kai was fairing. Her grandfather had invested more energy in relations with the gang, much to the dismay of a few others. "How is Kiyoru doing?"

Kuroda folded part of his paper down, looking at Kumiko, the smile still on his face. "He is doing well as far as I know. He is still just a henchman so it's hard for me to arrange visits with him." Kumiko nodded. "However the Toua kai is thrilled with my interest in their group, so I can guess things are looking up for him." He winked at her before flipping the paper back up, absorbed in an article about the prime minister.

Feeling it was almost time for Sawada to arrive, Kumiko started flitting about the house again. Everything was in its proper place, and the dinner was smelling fantastic. Her grandfather and his advisors were gathering in their dining room. She thought about the surprise balloon in the rafters again, and couldn't help but want to skip a little bit. She couldn't let it be just another dinner after all, he had gotten back into Keio.

The bell chimed through the entryway, and Kumiko went charging through the house. Sawada braced for impact on the outside of the door, knowing Kumiko could mow him down. She nearly ripped the door off its hinges, and yanked him inside the entryway. Pulling the string, the hollow plastic shell dropped shiny bits of paper, and Kumiko shouted congratulations.

It felt like all his senses were being assaulted; she was being loud, his arms were now injured, and there were sparkles falling all over him. Sawada looked around at his feet, noting the sparkles. If Kumiko had been paying enough attention she would have seen irritation flash through his eyes. She wasn't. He nodded a kind of thanks and stepped out of the ring, picking a few bits out of his hair. If that was all he had to deal for the day, he would be grateful.

Her grandfather was watching from the hall, a sort of half smile on his face. "Congratulations Sawada." He said as Sawada slipped off his shoes and stepped into the hallway. It was simple and Sawada appreciated that. If only Kumiko understood. At least she hadn't saved it for dinner, picking colored pieces of paper out of his rice bowl didn't sound appetizing.

Kuroda led them down the hall way and into the dining area. A large pot sat in the middle of the table, the warm smell of fish, carrot and radish floating through the room. He sat down in the spot that seemed to be designated his, Kumiko sitting to his left. Sawada's bowl was filled first since they were celebrating him, and then slowly it went around the table. Kumiko was chattering in his ear, and he would nod the occasional yes or no to her, but mostly he was just tasked with listening.

She talked about her students, and their excitement at the end of the semester. For the time being she had listened to their input about not taking the students to different schools. He somehow doubted that it would last though; there was still a glow about her when she mentioned it. Perhaps it would be alright for their second year.

"Kiyoru stops by every so often, like you did." She finished a bit of rice before looking up at him. "I have hopes for him. He could get into Keio too. He's smart enough." The rest of the table nodded. "Maybe you can help him with that. It's still a few years away, but there's no reason to not start early."

"If he wants it, then I suppose I could help him." That 'if he wants it' part was important. He wasn't about to force anyone into anything because Kumiko though it was a good idea.

She didn't pay very much attention. "I'll talk with him when the school year starts again. Maybe you can tutor him for the entry exam." Her head was abuzz with new ideas.

They fished the last bits out of the hot pot, and Sawada sat back. He had gotten a larger stomach over the months, but still couldn't manage to eat like everyone else. The henchmen had already left the table, going about their evening chores. Kuroda excused himself to return to his paperwork. There was a quiet buzz around them, the household moving in the distance.

Kumiko leaned back on her arms. "You know Sawada, I really am proud of you." She looked over at him. "Graduating top of your high school class, getting into Keio, moving on your own to Africa, coming back to Japan, and getting into Keio again." It was strange for him to hear her praise him like that. "And you know what, you never told me about Africa."

He looked at the hot pot, the broth still steaming. He hadn't really told anybody about Africa. There were a million things to say, but he never wanted to approach them. Those were his times; he hadn't gone there for others to fawn over him.

Leaning forward, she poked him in the leg. "You know I'm not going to let you go without one story!" He pushed his hair out of his eyes, and took a deep breath.

Maybe one story would be alright. He just had to keep thinking of everything as being one last time. If it was goodbye, it might as well be memorable. "Okay." He leaned forward, trying not to fidget. "I arrived in a small town in Senegal about 8 months ago. We had finished work in Mali, and they had a new contract for us to build a…" The sound of bells interrupted him. Kumiko looked around, surprised at someone ringing right now.

"I'm sorry about that Sawada, please continue." She turned back toward him, assuming it was for her grandfather. He opened his mouth to start again, but before he could a head popped inside the door. "Shinohara!" Kumiko's eyes shined.

"Sorry to bother you, but I had a surprise. What's with the colored paper inside the entryway?" He scanned the room and locked eyes with Shin. "Oh, hello! I didn't expect to be interrupting."

Kumiko stood up and extended her hand. "Please join us, Sawada was telling me a story about Africa, so your surprise will have to wait a few minutes." Tomoya sat down across from him, bringing a strained silence with him. "Go ahead Sawada, you left off at something about a contract."

Another moment of irritation flashed through his eyes. He didn't need a reminder of his own story, not to mention the fact that it was a personal story that he wasn't particularly interested in telling Shinohara Tomoya. Something about Sawada's arrest record. Feigning concern about the time, he looked at his phone. Their eyes were a collective force, burrowing through him. The calm surface was breaking inside. "Actually, I should probably go. I have to help at Kuma's shop tomorrow, and Uchi is waiting to hear from me."

It took Shinohara half a second to understand. "But you have to finish the story!" Kumiko appealed to Sawada. "The beginning was already interesting." Her face was pouty, nose wrinkled and eyebrows up.

Shinohara placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure he can tell you another time." Kumiko stuck her lip out, dismayed by the surprise visit having a profound affect on her evening.

The hand was kindling to a flame. "I really should go Yankumi. Another time perhaps." He stood up rigidly and bowed quickly to both of them. Kumiko barely had time to stand up before Sawada was sliding his shoes on in the entryway. Shinohara had wondered where the slippers he normally used had gone until Sawada slid them off. She stuttered a swift goodbye to Sawada. He nodded curtly again on the way out the door, taking a few bits of shining paper with him. The couple watched as he disappeared, Kumiko stunned at the whirlwind.

He pulled the door closed gently behind him. He wasn't willing to slam it, more for respect of Kuroda than anything else. He passed through their gate, and his spirit hollowed out in his chest. Turning the corner his shoulders found the wooden wall, and he had no will to move. The anger was draining away, and the only thing left was a new regret. He hung his head, strangely intent on his feet. A pink sparkle caught his eye. He leaned down, examining the metallic sheet he had dragged out with him.

Looking at it seemed to pick his spirits up the smallest amount, so he stuck it in his pocket. At least that surprise balloon had been good for one thing. He stood up, not wanting to be caught standing outside their gate. Taking one last look at the wooden panels and ceramic roof tiles, he said goodbye.


End file.
